Heads up: I'll be away the weeks of 9/21 and 9/28. I trust that my sharp C&EN colleagues will capably handle anything that comes up in my absence. I return 10/5, so if you need something from me specifically, I'd reach out or re-up then!
Rowan Walrath
@rowanwalrath.bsky.social
Associate editor, life sciences reporter @cenmag.bsky.social. Texan Bostonian. she/her. r_walrath@acs.org. For sensitive tips, I'm on Signal @rowanwalrath.01 or email rowan.walrath@proton.me
At the end of this comprehensive story by @rowanwalrath.bsky.social and Shea Murphy, you can play with several data dimensions to see which US city ranks highest in factors that matter to you. (You also have to scroll to find the global cities - they're there!) cen.acs.org/business/inv...
Cities of chemistry
C&EN explores which cities have the ingredients for chemical innovation
cen.acs.org
The coolest part, IMO, is this "build your own city ranking" tool. You can use sliders to adjust how much weight you'd give to one dimension, like VC funding or lab space, and see what cities come out on top.
What are the most important ingredients for chemical innovation? For @cenmag.bsky.social, my colleague Shea Murphy and I sought to find out. 🧵
Biopharmaceutical executives and investors are cautiously hopeful that President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to head the US Food and Drug Administration will bring some much-needed stability to the agency. @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/policy/regul...
Drug industry leaders size up Trump’s FDA commissioner nominee
White House aide Heidi Overton has been tapped to lead the agency after a tumultuous period
cen.acs.org
Severe Covid leads to persistent viral reactivation, with >10 different viruses noted in the first 40 days after hospital admission. Long Covid was specifically associated with reactivation of latent Anelloviridae virus @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Virus reactivation in acute and long COVID-19 - Nature
Chronic reactivation of distinct herpesviruses and anelloviruses occur during acute and long COVID-19, and track with disease severity, inflammation and outcomes, revealing immune signatures with prog...
nature.com
""We’re interested in FcRn inhibitors as a treatment option for a subset of folks with Long COVID...” Putrino [said]." A great story on Vyvgart and Ampligen, and the challenges of study design for Long COVID, POTS, and ME by @rowanwalrath.bsky.social cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
Access to potential long COVID drugs dwindles as trials falter
Two sets of studies for COVID-driven conditions show the struggles of drug development
cen.acs.org
#chemsky thread on long COVID therapies
Rowan Walrath@rowanwalrath.bsky.social · 2mo agoIn the picture on her GoFundMe page, Mia Delli Gatti looks bright and cheerful. She sticks out her tongue and curls her left hand into a “rock on” symbol. The sun shines through the short, dark curls that halo her face. 1/
A complicated disease, competing corporate and scientific priorities, and regulatory catch-22s. Please read the results of @rowanwalrath.bsky.social 's reporting as she's tried to better understand the state of drug development for long COVID and related conditions
Rowan Walrath@rowanwalrath.bsky.social · 2mo agoI can't possibly do the story justice in a Twitter thread, so please read it on @cenmag.bsky.social: cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... 13/13
Really good story from @rowanwalrath.bsky.social on the desperation of patients with debilitating chronic illness symptoms for drugs that may give them relief and the lack of transparency to patients of why some trials stop. cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
Access to potential long COVID drugs dwindles as trials falter
Two sets of studies for COVID-driven conditions show the struggles of drug development
cen.acs.org
C&EN: Access to potential long COVID drugs dwindles as trials falter by Rowan Walrath @rowanwalrath.bsky.social @cenmag.bsky.social bit.ly/4psZxH7
In the picture on her GoFundMe page, Mia Delli Gatti looks bright and cheerful. She sticks out her tongue and curls her left hand into a “rock on” symbol. The sun shines through the short, dark curls that halo her face. 1/
C&EN's 10 Start-Ups to Watch program is seeking nominations for promising chemistry #StartUps. Nominate a company today and help us uncover the future of innovation in chemistry. The deadline is tomorrow, July 1! Nominate here: cen.acs.org/surveys/star... #10StartUpsToWatch #chemsky 🧪
Me the other night: “here, let me take a photo of the can since we liked this beer” The photo in the cold light of day:
Across conversations at #BIO2026, pharma leaders made it apparent that they do not care where, geographically, a drug candidate originates, so long as it has clinical and commercial potential. Here's what Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi, J&J, Bayer, and more are looking for cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
Here’s what pharmas and investors are looking for at BIO
And yes, China is at the forefront
cen.acs.org
Scientific American is being sold to LabX Media, publisher of Discover: group.springernature.com/gp/group/med... They've fired me and other union staff, ahead of June 26 vote ratification. My rates are suddenly more reasonable, if you need editing or reporting - Argonaut2026@gmail.com
Springer Nature to divest its consumer media businesses | Springer Nature Group | Springer Nature
Strategic divestment of consumer media portfolio enables Springer Nature to focus on its core business Transaction supports the long-term development
group.springernature.com
For all the agency chaos, some bits of the FDA are just getting on with things. Speaking to @rowanwalrath.bsky.social at this year's BIO conference, Vaxart's CEO says they've worked consistently with the same set of reviewers at the agency @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
‘We’re prepared for whatever the FDA wants’: A vaccine developer gets back on track
Vaxart is weeks away from a key readout from its COVID-19 vaccine-pill trial
cen.acs.org
They’re here! Introducing the Talented 12 Class for 2026. These early-career scientists are taking on big global #chemistry challenges. Meet the 2026 Class: cen.acs.org/people/profi... #CENT12 #chemsky 🧪
Marty Makary resigned on Tuesday after a tumultuous year as FDA commissioner. He leaves behind a mixed legacy, as @rowanwalrath.bsky.social reports for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/policy/regul...
Really interesting to see the role the Berkeley grad student union has played in this case: cen.acs.org/research-int...
UC Berkeley professor accused of sexual harassment
Graduate student union files grievance on behalf of PhD student
cen.acs.org
BU issues Marathon advice to students: No Animal Housing in the GAP and for God's sake, stay away from parties at BC if you can't handle your liquor www.universalhub.com/2026/bu-issu... #Boston #PatriotsDay
This is my favorite climate change chart. Japanese monks, aristocrats, and emperors kept meticulous records of cherry blossom festivals for 1,200 years and accidentally built the world's longest climate dataset.
I'm proud to share that an article I published in @cenmag.bsky.social last February, "Long COVID studies stymied by pharma's lack of cooperation," has been selected as a finalist in the trade journalism category of the @nihcm.bsky.social Journalism Awards:
NIHCM@nihcm.bsky.social · 6mo agoWe are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 32nd Annual #NIHCMAwards in Health Care Journalism and Policy Research! Join us in congratulating these journalists and researchers and learn more about their work here: bit.ly/NIHCM2026Awa... #NIHCMAwardsJournalism #NIHCMAwardsPolicyResearch
Lilly's acquisition of Centessa Pharmaceuticals is the third-largest biopharma acquisition of the year so far. $LLY $CNTA cen.acs.org/business/mer... @cenmag.bsky.social
Lilly to buy narcolepsy drug developer for $6.3 billion
The pharma giant has agreed to acquire Centessa Pharmaceuticals
cen.acs.org
Infections of the BA.3.2 variant of the COVID-causing coronavirus are still at very low levels, but experts are concerned it may be resistant to immunity from vaccines or prior infection
A new COVID variant is spreading in the U.S. How worried should you be?
Infections of the BA.3.2 variant of the COVID-causing coronavirus are still at very low levels, but experts are concerned it may be resistant to immunity from vaccines or prior infection
scientificamerican.com
I'll be at BIO this June. Relatedly, it's so hard to imagine traveling to San Diego just to hang out in the convention center. Who wants to meet with me at the Point Loma tide pools? #biosky
RECOVER-TLC is hosting another webinar today, sharing updates on the Long COVID clinical trials program. I will do some live blogging here and might have further writing at @thesicktimes.org (if they share anything newsworthy).
New Fellowship Alert: Our colleagues at The Open Notebook are partnering with Retraction Watch to offer up to six $7,500 fellowships + training to support reporting on local issues of scientific accountability. Learn more and register for the Mar 26 informational webinar:
Announcing the Retraction Watch Research Accountability Reporting Fellowship - The Open Notebook
The Open Notebook and Retraction Watch are thrilled to announce a new fellowship program funded by The Center for Scientific Integrity. This six-month program will equip up to six reporters and editors at local newsrooms to report stories of scientific integrity unfolding at research universities or institutions in their areas.
theopennotebook.com