Claudia Lopez Lloreda

Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, On the Rewards of Reporting Between Two Worlds “Editors were hungry for these stories from the Global South,” said the biomedical researcher-turned-science journalist, who has found a niche filling that gap.

"And that’s the power of journalism. I think, as a science journalist, you’re not covering “the science,” like this big thing. You’re covering scientists, humans, and they all come with their passions, their features, their life stories." 👏🏽 @rpocisv.bsky.social ksj.mit.edu/news/2026/02...

Graph of award probability of R35 and R01 from NIH factbook as a function of review rank percentile. As is apparent, 2025 is a significant departure, with lower award probabilities at all scores <40 and significant departures from norm, where even being in the top 10% is no longer a nearly certain indicator of success. Data source: https://report.nih.gov/nihdatabook/report/302

The data is in: the NIH goalposts have shifted.

What were once almost certain fundable scores have become coin flips and what used to be likely grants have become aspirational, leading to fewer awards.

Another manifestation of how HHS policies have led to fewer awards and less science.

Shifting neural code powers speech comprehension Dynamic coding helps explain how the brain processes multiple features of speech—from the smallest units of sounds to full sentences—simultaneously.

Dynamic coding of speech, as suggested by two new studies, challenges the idea that language features are encoded in a one-to-one manner in the brain.

By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/language/shi...

At NIH, a Power Struggle Over Institute Directorships Deepens The biomedical research giant is largely run by 27 institute and center directors. Will those roles become politicized?

Researchers are watching closely as changes to NIH leadership selection could influence research priorities, agency independence, and long-standing governance norms.

Key NIH research institute told to remove references to 'pandemic preparedness' Staff members have been instructed to scrub this topic and ‘biodefense’ from the agency’s website, a Nature investigation finds

Staff members have been instructed to scrub this topic and ‘biodefense’ from the agency’s website

National Institutes of Health faces leadership vacuum as director positions sit open More than half of the NIH's institutes and centers don’t have permanent directors, giving the Trump administration an unusual opportunity to reshape the agency. The latest departure came on Friday.

“It’s like going to battle with half your generals in place.” Of the 27 institutes and centers that make up NIH, 16 were missing permanent directors as of Friday, when staff received news of the latest departure. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Inner retina of birds functions without oxygen The energy-intensive neural tissue relies on anaerobic metabolism of glucose provided by the pecten oculi, a structure unique to the avian eye.

Vertebrate neural tissue cannot function without oxygen. So why is the retina of birds an exception?

By Federica Sgorbissa

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/vision/inner...

Scientists no Longer Find Twitter Professionally Useful, and have Switched to Bluesky Synopsis. Social media has become widely used by the scientific community for a variety of professional uses, including networking and public outreach. For

Bluesky is the new science Twitter, new study by @whysharksmatter.bsky.social and Julia Wester concludes!

"Results show that for every reported professional benefit that scientists once gained from Twitter, scientists can now gain that benefit more effectively on Bluesky than on Twitter."

NSF’s flagship fellowship program is rejecting applicants without peer review Students seeking graduate research scholarships speculate that biology is being disfavored

NSF's graduate research fellowship (GRF) program is designed to teach aspiring scientists how to write a winning grant proposal. So why are so many applicants being denied that learning experience? www.science.org/content/arti...

Neuroscientist @clionamurray.com knows the power of community. Murray explains how @blackinneuro.bsky.social expanded from its humble beginnings as a Slack channel to connect Black neuroscientists across the diaspora.

By @alainaglevine.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

How eight initiatives are tackling neuroscience’s gender gap In honor of today’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, The Transmitter spoke with eight women working to bolster their ranks in the field.

Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! For its 11th year, we’re celebrating eight women neuroscientists working toward gender equality in the field.

By Paige Miranda

#WomeninScience #neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/qa/how-eight...

Epstein files show a complicated relationship with science and journalism Jeffrey Epstein aggressively sought access to publishers, mentions of Scientific American and other media in Department of Justice files show

Another excellent Epstein story this week comes from @danvergano.bsky.social, on the murky intersections with science journalism as well as scientists:

www.scientificamerican.com/article/epst... 🧪

Epstein files reveal deeper ties to scientists than previously known Latest batch of documents show researchers consulting the financier and sex offender on publications, visas and more.

Sorry for the preview pic in your feed, but we've posted a thoughtful story by @dangaristo.bsky.social that delves into the tangled web of relationships between Jeffrey Epstein and various scientists: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Oregon primate center to negotiate transition to sanctuary The board of directors at Oregon Health & Science University, which runs the primate center, voted unanimously for the move.

BREAKING: The Oregon Health & Science University board of directors has voted to begin negotiations with the NIH about potentially transitioning the university’s primate research center to a sanctuary for the animals.

By @callimcflurry.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

bit.ly/4a6mycK

Published authored opinion filed – #106 in Natl. Assoc. of Diversity Officers in Higher Edu. v. Donald Trump (4th Cir., 25-1189) – CourtListener.com PUBLISHED AUTHORED OPINION filed. Originating case number: 1:25-cv-00333-ABA. [1001922624] [25-1189] CH [Entered: 02/06/2026 11:09 AM]

NEW: An appellate court has just overturned a lower court and ruled that Trump's executive orders cutting DEI programs and funding are constitutional — as long as the government only targets things that are already illegal under civil rights laws.

Read the full ruling below.

Cerebellum responds to language like cortical areas One of four language-responsive cerebellar regions may encode meaningful information, much like the cortical language network in the left hemisphere, according to a new study.

A region in the cerebellum is language-selective—something previously found only in the cortex, a new study suggests.

By @natmesanash.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/language/cer...

NSF GRFP applicants (and mentors): Was your application Returned Without Review and deemed ineligible despite fitting in the allowed topics?
1) Write NSF
2) Write your Congressperson
3) CC us at grfp@grant-witness.us so we can compile + follow up

Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter

We had the honor of hosting @sciwithrach.bsky.social, winner of the 2025 @womeninneurouk.bsky.social's Communicator of the Year Award. Thanks for swinging by and spending the day with us!

Largest leucovorin-autism trial retracted A reanalysis of the data revealed errors and failed to replicate the results.

A journal has retracted the largest leucovorin trial in people with autism—one of just five randomized clinical trials assessing this treatment in autistic people.

By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social

www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/lar...

Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures | The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Full Committee Hearing on February 3, 2026 at 5:00 AM

I'm on Capitol Hill watching NIH director Jayanta Bhattacharya testify to the Senate HELP committee.

Thankfully I haven't been escorted out of this event (yet). Here's what I'm following. You can also watch live here:
www.help.senate.gov/hearings/mod...

Iranians are experiencing a collective trauma. Thousands have been killed/injured in recent events, the economy is crippled & the threat of a wider conflict is real. This is especially difficult for those living in Iran, as many have lost (or fear losing) loved ones. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Had a marvelous time at @simonsfoundation.org Presents featuring @thetransmitter.bsky.social discussing the Future of Neuroscience with Francisco Rivera Rosario, Jie Zheng, and Nancy Padilla-Coreano

Live painting of the discussion by artist Emily Garfield that included my shoes and poop socks 💩

1/7 Can infants recognise the world around them? 👶🧠 As part of the FOUNDCOG project, we scanned 134 awake infants using fMRI. Published today in Nature Neuroscience, our research reveals 2-month-old infants already possess complex visual representations in VVC that align with DNNs.

Latest iteration of U.S. federal autism committee comes under fire The new panel “represents a radical departure from all past rosters,” says autism researcher Helen Tager-Flusberg.

“I am very concerned about the minimal scientific expertise on the committee, and the degree to which it is stacked with vocal proponents of the discredited notion that vaccines contribute to autism,” says Joshua Gordon, former NIMH director.

By @avaskham.bsky.social

bit.ly/3Z8Gs0y

As Venezuela frees journalists, detention of one editor underscores ongoing press crackdown Rory Branker, an editor at online outlet La Patilla, has been detained for nearly a year, transferred without notice and never brought before court. He is among at least five press workers still held.

🇻🇪El editor de @la_patilla Rory Branker es uno de los cinco periodistas que siguen detenidos en Venezuela. Su caso es uno de los que más preocupa.

What the Rise of AI Scientists May Mean for Human Research Tech companies have touted scientific findings from AI systems. But can they truly produce bona fide advancements?

AI systems dubbed “AI scientists” are being built to generate hypotheses, analyze data, and even publish research, prompting debate about how they might change the future of human-led science.

BRAIN Initiative researchers ‘dream big’ amid shifts in leadership, funding But whether the initiative’s road map for the next decade is feasible remains an open question.

“My guess is that if things continue politically the way they’re going now, [these goals] would not be accomplished in the United States in the next 10 years,” says Joshua Sanes.

By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

https://bit.ly/4qxPksx

Exclusive: key NIH review panels due to lose all members by the end of 2026 Thirteen of the agency’s advisory councils, which must review grant applications before funding is awarded, are on track to have no voting members.

🚨 New from me: Grant review at more than half of NIH's institutes could be frozen by the end of the year.

That's because crucial NIH grant-review panels are slated to be empty at those institutes by Jan 2027.

A wonky bureaucratic problem with big implications.

A short 🧵

Neuroscience, BRAIN Initiative gain budget in ‘bad’ NIH funding bill The bill goes before the House of Representatives today and outlines increases for neuroscience-related research—including a 33 percent increase to the BRAIN Initiative—but maintains a multiyear…

The bill includes a 33 percent budget increase for the NIH’s BRAIN Initiative, which has faced significant funding cuts over the past two years.

By @avaskham.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...

BRAIN Initiative researchers ‘dream big’ amid shifts in leadership, funding But whether the initiative’s road map for the next decade is feasible remains an open question.

BRAIN Initiative director John Ngai @jngai58.bsky.social asked about 100 researchers to envision the next decade of the initiative. Here’s what they came up with.

By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social

www.thetransmitter.org/policy/brain...