The most impt change at #NIH and to US science this year is bigger than grant cancellations— it’s how the agency is governed.
For 75 years NIH has been largely independent of presidential control. That’s changed this year. New piece from me and @nataliebaviles.bsky.social in @nature.com
🧪
To mark International Women’s Day, Nature asked winners of its awards programmes to nominate a colleague who brings out the best in them.
go.nature.com/46EZq32
I've just come to terms with using Microsoft products. I still kind of hate the planner but it does what I need in the end.
Cartoon by Tommy Siegel
This is what we call false spring #1. There is at least one more before real spring.
A painting of a bird beside the text "we really fucked the dog on this one"
Now Live - Spasticity Without the Plateau: Science, Access, and the Path Forward
🎙️ 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🎙️
youtu.be/8T_wEm5ekVU?...
Scientists: if you have pursued/secured philanthropic funding in the wake of federal research funding cuts, I want to talk to you.
Reposts appreciated!
I just found a pizza vending machine on google maps in San Juan. Now I know my alternate second job after dog walker if this physician scientist thing doesn't work out: pizza vending machine owner!
Top-line budget numbers are a win w/significant caveats.
Budget enables same NIH MYFs as last year -> yet again, reduced award rates.
NIH's premier MOSAIC program for enhancing the diversity of the biomedical workforce? Gone.
NSF's postdoctoral fellowships? Now, all AI.
GRFPs? Slashed.
This was illuminating
Everyone in the White House involved in any way with that vile, sickening racist Trump post must be fired immediately: everyone in the communications department, everyone in the press office, every deputy chief of staff, everyone involved up and down the line. Not one more tax dollar for this filth.
As we start the think about F&27 appropriations, unpacking the FY26 budget may help set us up for next year.
We need scientists to engage in the process now - to fight for appropriation law that doesn't just fund NIH but fights to protect science and democracy.
open.substack.com/pub/sciencea...
Is it better or worse that presumably someone did those calculations for him?
The last person who told me to smile more was my direct supervisor who then lost his job because he had an inappropriate relationship with a patient. So…
"As of Feb. 1, people up to age 64 will have to work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month to remain eligible for food assistance. The work rules also expanded to include people who are homeless, veterans and parents of teens 14 and older."
Seems like a good reason not to risk your players' lives by sending them to the US for the 2026 World Cup....
Hugs. That’s a lot.
The world should not come here. There should not be a World Cup here.
I spoke out against the last World Cup because of concerns I had about human rights violations and it’s only right that I express the same concerns and condemnations now.
ICE is now responsible for 66% of the homicides in Minneapolis this year.
Alex Pretti, the man killed by federal agents today in Minneapolis, appears to have been a registered nurse, an athlete, a son and a brother, with ties to Colorado and Wisconsin.
Here is a photo he used for several accounts.
Graphic helps visualize how MYF funds FEWER grants despite the increase in budget approval by Congress. https://www.researchamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ACT-for-NIH-Multi-Year-Funding-One-Pager_October-2025.pdf
🧪IMPORTANT! This graphic explains how science all over the US is funded. Congress approved a 2% increase in the #NIH budget for FY 26.
Buried in the bill-
Shift of ~40% of grants to MYF. This will still result in a 35% DECREASE in the NUMBER of grants funded per yr.
Russel Vought is behind this.
It speaks volumes about where we are at as a society when we have the largest GDP in human history and yet my city schools have to close on very cold days because many buildings don’t have adequate heating & insulation to keep the classroom temperatures up.
Design of the mHealth system.
Chronic low back pain requires precise phenotyping for tailored treatments. Zakiy F. Alfikri & coauthors introduce a mobile health system that collects biomechanics & behavior data from in-clinic and 7-day at-home assessments from 1000 individuals: onlinelibrary.wiley....
Did you know this? #PhySKYiatry
Rough out here in the K08 world.
Email from NIH stating early expiration of funding opportunities for studies focused on multidisciplinary studies of HIV/AIDS and aging
What a depressing email for Friday afternoon.
Line graphs of the new and competitive renewal awards from 2021 to 2026. The fiscal year 2026 curve is essentially zero with only 42 awards compared with more than 1200 through the same date in previous fiscal years.
Here is the curve for new and competitive renewal (Type 1 and Type 2) awards.
This reveals that only very few (42) new and competitive renewal awards have been made thus far in fiscal year 2026.
This compares with more than 1200 through the same date in previous fiscal years.
3/6
I regularly feel like I am both postdoc and faculty at the same time and definitely recommend only doing one of those jobs at a time. 🤣
