Feeling so grateful for all the responses here. As many of you know it's been an exceptionally hard year for me both professionally and personally, and moments like this make me feel so supported. Nice to have a reason to celebrate with this community for a change 💗

Dr. Becca@docbecca.bsky.social · last wk.

Holy crap my R01 was just renewed. Literally staring at the NoA in disbelief. I was told back in April it would not be funded and I was mentally preparing to wind the lab down. Now here we are with the chance to rebuild (again, if you've been with me for a while).

@docbecca.bsky.social Saw this. Felt I needed to forward.

100% this. I am so grateful to everyone at NIH who continues their work despite continued and escalated sabotage from above. Feeling so lucky that my grant made it through but recognize that there are still unknowable numbers of labs that risk closing in the near future.

Mark Histed@markhisted.org · last wk.

And much praise to the civil servants at NIH making this happen in terrible conditions

Holy crap my R01 was just renewed. Literally staring at the NoA in disbelief. I was told back in April it would not be funded and I was mentally preparing to wind the lab down. Now here we are with the chance to rebuild (again, if you've been with me for a while).

Is This Real Life?

Alt: Meme icon "David after the dentist" asking, "Is This Real Life?"

static.klipy.com

This is so incredibly sad, he was just one of the best songwriters and live performers I've ever seen.

Glen Hansard@glenhansard.bsky.social · last wk.

With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard in the early hours of this morning. We are still dealing with the shock of it all, so we kindly ask that the privacy of Glen’s family, colleagues and friends is respected at this difficult time. . Photo by Mikolaj Rotowski

1. The new Trump / Kratsios plan for US science appears explicitly designed to destroy US universities. Diverting money to tech donors is probably just a bonus. Gift link.

Trump’s Plan for Science: More Money for A.I., Less for Universities (Gift Article)

Michael Kratsios, President Trump’s science adviser, proposed overhauling how the government funds research. Democrats said Mr. Trump’s actions had weakened science.

nytimes.com

Need a little joy in your life? Have you considered: baby elephant in a sprinkler? You will certainly not regret baby elephant in a sprinkler. This is Sam Houston, an Asian elephant born April 1, 2026 to parents Bluebell & Romeo. 🐘 (📷: Fort Worth Zoo)

It’s truly astonishing to see how comprehensively the US government is tearing down every part of the system that has made it up until now a world-leading power in science, research, and technological development. The entire world will suffer from this wanton destruction.

Dan Vergano@danvergano.bsky.social · 2mo ago

White House proposes new rules giving political appointees final approval of research grants These proposed Office of Management and Budget regulations would render the federal research grant review process opaque www.scientificamerican.com/article/whit...

Hello from my first trip to Japan! Being a tourist here is exhausting but also amazing.

This! The great part about bluesky is all the people with different expertise to learn from.

Lupita Nihongo@otsumamiboy.blacksky.app · 3mo ago

People will be like ‘Bluesky is all academics & historians’ & I’ll be like, ‘You mean the people who enthusiastically tell me the coolest shit I ever heard?????’

Please share widely. The new (simpler) MIRA R35 for Early Stage Investigators (ESI) NOFO is published. First due date is 10/2/2026. files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunitie...

Adorable of me to think that Dept Chair things would slow down after commencement and I'd be able to get back to grant writing.

a woman is standing in front of a flock of birds in a field .

Alt: iconic bird attack scene from Hitchcock's The Birds

media.tenor.com

Did pottery painting with the lab this afternoon, can’t wait to see what this will look like after it’s fired.

I found 777 grants with title changes. Here is a word cloud of the words that had been removed. 2/5

SHAFT

WHO@who.int · 3mo ago

WHO is aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.

For your consideration: these deviled eggs secret ingredient this year was a dash of MSG 😎

New Data Management and Sharing Plan format required for NIH grants submitted after May 25, 2026 (so for EI MIRAs due May 27, 2026) 🧪 grants.nih.gov/grants-proce... grants.nih.gov/policy-and-c...

Reminiscing about our time in NY, discovering just how good cocktails could be at Milk & Honey. Left: a Paper Plane adaptation made with orange juice bc we were out of lemons. Works great since Nonino & Aperol both have orangey notes Right: a Queens Park Swizzle, one of the true M&H originals!

POV you’re in the platform party. Happy graduation to all who celebrate!

Down 70% (!!!) from the before times. We've plateaued and it's only April. So, so many labs will close this year.

Pam Herd@pamherd.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The number of NIH competitive awards is down 50% from 2025, and down ~70% from prior years. Even if they catch up by the end of the year, only wealthy institutions can bridge these huge funding gaps.They're killing science-and violating the constitution-by weaponizing the bureaucracy

At the end of 2024, the National Academies put out a report concluding the NIH has woefully underfunded women’s health research, and they suggested $15 B should be invested over the next 5 years. Here’s what’s happened instead. Hard to study women’s health if you can’t say “women.” wapo.st/4euUt1c

Many of us have actually lost the struggle already. My lab is closing in June, and I'm not the only one. By far.

This interpretation is exactly right.

Jim Woodgett@jwoodgett.bsky.social · 4mo ago

This is a devious plan. Sharply reduce grant numbers without deflating the budget (via MYF). Because they know most scientists can’t survive 2-3 years of zero funding. It self corrects and future budgets will be resized to the reduced capacity. Ditto NSF, NASA. The progressive USA is being shrunk.

“A Washington Post analysis found that through March 31, halfway through this fiscal year, the number of competitive grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health is down by more than half compared with the same period last year” 😢

Dr. Becca@docbecca.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Those of us doing research related to women’s health have been hit particularly hard by the govt’s sabotage of the NIH. I spoke to WaPo for this piece, as painful as it was to discuss the reality my lab is facing. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026...

yeah i bet a car would have won too

CNN@cnn.com · 4mo ago

A humanoid robot won a half-marathon in Beijing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, finishing faster than Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo's world record. Read more: https://cnn.it/4sGl276

The story includes a funding curve graph showing the delay in making new and competitive renewal grants. 2/8

Those of us doing research related to women’s health have been hit particularly hard by the govt’s sabotage of the NIH. I spoke to WaPo for this piece, as painful as it was to discuss the reality my lab is facing. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026...

Where U.S. science has been hit hardest after Trump’s first year

The Trump administration has slashed the number of grants from the National Institutes of Health, with far fewer focused on women, cancer and mental health.

washingtonpost.com

Big highlight this week was the end of the year party for my lab. Potluck lunch, field day games, and handmade superlative awards for our graduating seniors. I have such an amazing team!

As a recipient of federal grants from #NIH (for now! 😭) that funds research in my lab, I'd like to sincerely thank American taxpayers on #TaxDay for investing in scientific research that lays the foundation for medical and technological innovation in this country and keeps us ALL safe and healthy