Laura Cook
@laurainthelab1.bsky.social
Associate Professor at Binghamton University Microbiologist, bacterial-host interactions, Streptococcus
Today, Coefficient Giving is launching the Strep A Vaccine Fund, a multi-donor initiative to accelerate vaccine development against one of the world's most neglected infectious diseases relative to its scale. Strep A kills ~639,000 people a year. There is no vaccine. I think that can change 🧵
Kind of makes sense. I mean, we haven't had the outbreak of a new and deadly worldwide pandemic in almost five years.
Max Kozlov@maxkozlov.bsky.social · 6mo agoScoop: The NIH infectious-diseases institute (NIAID) will soon scrub “pandemic preparedness” and “biodefense” from its web pages, according to e-mails I obtained. The directive is the start of a broader shake-up at NIAID, which has long been attacked by Republicans.
The American Academy of Microbiology proudly announces the election of 63 fellows to the Class of 2026. Over the past 50 years, the Academy has elected +2,700 distinguished scientists. This year, the new fellows hail from 14 countries. Read press release: asm.social/2OC
NSF Update Funding curve overall. A little bit of progress in the past week, but only a little bit. Now by Directorate... 1/11
Guess what NIH funded friends. No more paylines! This will be replaced by an entirely opaque system that appears to bool down to “whatever we want.” They have destroyed the meritorious peer review system. Score will just be “considered”. grants.nih.gov/news-events/...
Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions | Grants & Funding
grants.nih.gov
Unraveling Streptococcus pyogenes Carriage: Genomic and Transcriptomic Insights from Acute and Post-Treatment Phases https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.22.683982v1
NEW: Researchers have sued the NIH and HHS, alleging that they have engaged in a "reckless and illegal purge to stamp out NIH-funded research that addresses topics and populations that they disfavor" by terminating hundreds of grants, violating the APA, Fifth Amendment and the Separation of Powers.
storage.courtlistener.com
In an unprecedented move, the US National Institutes of Health has begun mass terminations of research grants that fund active scientific projects because they no longer meet “agency priorities”. https://go.nature.com/4bpG2It
Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants
Studies that touch on LGBT+ health, gender identity and DEI in the biomedical workforce could be terminated, according to documents obtained by Nature.
go.nature.com
A federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from slashing NIH payments for research overhead
Judge issues preliminary injunction blocking Trump cuts to NIH research overhead payments
A federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from slashing NIH payments for research overhead
buff.ly
🧪 PubMed’s brief outage sent researchers into panic, underscoring global reliance on the free biomedical database. While restored, the incident raises concerns about access, resilience, and the need for backups. 🩺💻
'Omg, did Pubmed go dark?' Blackout stokes fears about database’s future
A brief outage has focused attention on scientists’ reliance on the US-government-funded website.
nature.com
The National Science Foundation said in a memo it's reinstating some of its fired probationary employees. A federal workers union says it's 84-86 workers. www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
Science agency reinstates some fired employees, includes people with disabilities, veterans, military spouses
The National Science Foundation said in a memo it's reinstating some of its fired probationary employees. A federal workers union says it's 84-86 workers.
usatoday.com
Ok, now do Advisory Councils…
Denis Wirtz@deniswirtz.bsky.social · last yr.Some good news: The Federal Register has just posted NIH study sections, which are to meet in late March. NIH announces some key grant-review meetings will restart in late March | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
🧪 First posting of NIH grant review panels to #FederalRegister since Jan 21. Very limited. Just NIH Directors Awards (New Innovator, DP2) and one NIDDK study section, meeting dates range from March 24-April 4 www.federalregister.gov/public-inspe...
Public Inspection: Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Center for Scientific Review
Hearings, Meetings, Proceedings, etc.: Center for Scientific Review
federalregister.gov
At least some meetings essential to approving new grants by the National Institutes of Health will be back on track later this month. scim.ag/41FbfEg
NIH announces some key grant-review meetings will restart in late March
Trump policy blocking required notices has frozen reviews of thousands of grants
scim.ag
How about grants that are being terminated? Shouldn’t they count as negative? bsky.app/profile/jace...
Jace D. Flatt, PhD, MPH (They/He)@jaceflatt.bsky.social · last yr.Just received notice that our grant was terminated. 5R24AG066599-03 TheRiseRegistry.org
Here are the data for non-competitive renewals, downloaded today. The last awards in NIH Reporter are on 2/22. Given the lag in posting in Reporter, I think this pause is real and this is supported by inside sources who indicate that folks are being told not to issue NoAs.
I don't know how else to say this except for bluntly: It is not normal to have outbreaks of preventable diseases in wealthy countries. It is not normal to have children dying from preventable diseases in wealthy countries. This is the first US measles death in 10 years. There should be none.
As of today, at least 73 study sections have not met. If they review 50 applications, plus 30 triaged, 10% funding rate = 8 grants per SS. That's 584 fundable grants on hold. Probably 5000 researchers affected in those teams composed of our best and brightest. SABOTAGE.
Annika Barber@annikabarber.bsky.social · last yr.Wondering if your study section cancelled? I update this sheet daily. As of today, 56/124 study sections that should have met since Jan 2, 2025 have "not met as scheduled." docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
BREAKING: The NIH summer internship program (SIP) has been officially cancelled, across all institutes. It’s a sad loss for the brightest science students in America, for American science, and for future cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. 🧪 1/
Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪@altnih4science.bsky.social · last yr.NIDA has announced it, but all the NIH summer internship programs are likely cancelled. Sorry college students interested in STEM jobs, sorry high school students looking at science 🧪 careers. Trump and Musk are cancelling your futures.
Confirmed (by many sources) news about 50 NIH Study Sections being allowed to announce meetings in the Federal Register. As usual, MANY more questions than answers... 1/2
a muppet news anchor says " and now a muppet news flash " while holding a piece of paper
ALT: a muppet news anchor says " and now a muppet news flash " while holding a piece of paper
media.tenor.com
