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Natalie Dean, PhD

@nataliexdean.bsky.social

Associate Professor of Biostatistics at Emory Rollins School of Public Health

45 Posts2356 Follower157 Folgt
Carl T. Bergstrom@carlbergstrom.com · last yr.

I have to keep this deliberately vague, but this is a total disaster for academic research. And imposing it so suddenly is just cruel. I’ve got friends scrambling to get back to the US before midnight tonight. Do you know how hard that is to do on 36 hours of notice?

Trump to impose $100,000 fee per year for H-1B visas, in blow to tech

The Trump administration said on Friday it would ask companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B worker visas, prompting some big tech companies to warn visa holders to stay in the U.S. or quickly return.

reuters.com

Maryn McKenna@marynmck.bsky.social · last yr.

My heart. Members of the US Public Health Service (the uniformed service branch no one has ever heard of, who serve at the CDC and elsewhere in the US), massed within the CDC property, saluting their departing uniformed leaders who were escorted out by security today after resigning on principle.

Isabel, booonyavirus wonk@isabelott.bsky.social · last yr.

A higher resolution pic than my screenshot that captured the salute, from Alyssa Pointer (Reuters) – press weren’t allowed past the front gate for security reasons.

Maggie Fox@maggiefox.bsky.social · last yr.

You can track the spread of 16 viruses all at once, team at @childrensresearch.bsky.social and elsewhere found, including EV-D68, RSV, metapneumovirus, flu, Covid, rhinovirus. They started out looking for the cause of acute flaccid myelitis - remember that one? www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Dynamics of endemic virus re-emergence in children in the USA following the COVID-19 pandemic (2022–23): a prospective, multicentre, longitudinal, immunoepidemiological surveillance study

In this study, we captured immunological evidence of endemic virus re-emergence in children following lifting of pandemic NPIs, which revealed high rates of exposure to endemic respiratory pathogens i...

thelancet.com

Jen Bendery@jbendery.bsky.social · last yr.

"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the beginning of a coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities...." cc: Sen. Bill Cassidy

Bild
Katie Mack@astrokatie.com · last yr.

Every reputable expert I know considers mRNA vaccine technology to be one of the most revolutionary advances in medicine in our lifetimes. Its inventors won the Nobel Prize in 2023. Shutting it down now is pointless self-harm to humanity.

Eric Michael Garcia@ericmgarcia.bsky.social · last yr.

Release from HHS: HHS will wind down its development of the mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

HHS Winds Down mRNA Vaccine Development Under BARDA WASHINGTON, DC—AUGUST 5, 2025—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the beginning of a coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), including the cancellation and de-scoping of various contracts and solicitations. The decision follows a comprehensive review of mRNA-related investments initiated during the COVID-19 public health emergency. “We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.”
Dr. Tom Frieden@drtomfrieden.bsky.social · last yr.

17 dedicated doctors, pediatricians, scientists, and parents who served on the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices (ACIP) were just fired by Secretary Kennedy based on false claims of conflicts of interest – a dangerous and unprecedented action that makes our families less safe.

Jason L. Schwartz@jasonlschwartz.bsky.social · 2y ago

If people are interested in learning about the ACIP and its decades of contributions to US vaccine policy successes, here’s a short 2014 piece I wrote in NEJM with Adel Mahmoud (timed with its 50th anniversary) www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

A Half-Century of Prevention — The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices | NEJM

In 1964, after a vaccination program against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis began, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was created to advise the U.S. government on vaccinati...

nejm.org

Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH, SM@jennifernuzzo.bsky.social · last yr.

RFK Jr has worked for more than a decade to sow distrust in vaccines. Despite his efforts, the vast majority of Americans still support vaccines and follow federal guidance. Secretary Kennedy’s decision to remove ACIP members is another act in his crusade to prevent Americans from getting vaccines.

Max Kozlov@maxkozlov.bsky.social · last yr.

Researcher Amita Gupta has spent more than a decade planning and running a $70-million trial to study a new tuberculosis drug, enrolling ~6,000 participants in 13 countries. It might all have been for nothing. That's because a new NIH policy has abruptly cut off billions to trials abroad. 🧪

NIH grant cuts will axe clinical trials abroad — and could leave thousands without care

US agency’s new policy could abruptly end studies of infectious diseases and cancer, leaving researchers scrambling for funds.

nature.com

Anil Kalhan@akalhan.bsky.social · last yr.

"'It’s a total shit show,' one agency staffer told Important Context, explaining that Bhattacharya seemed unaware of how NIH operated when he arrived. They said he had been promising reforms that were already part of the agency’s work."

Walker Bragman@walkerbragman.bsky.social · last yr.

NEW: Important Context spoke with a dozen people working at NIH about Director Jay Bhattacharya. The descriptions were universally unflattering, painting the health economist as ineffectual, dishonest, ideological, arrogant, and uncommitted to science. www.importantcontext.news/p/out-of-his...

Kristian G. Andersen@kgandersen.bsky.social · last yr.

Here's the NIH's proposed budget - from $48 billion to $27 billion. NIAID, current ~$7 billion cut to ~$4.2 billion. The proposed 15% cap on indirect costs remains. Again, these budgets are passed, and our leadership in science, technology, and innovation is gone. www.hhs.gov/sites/defaul...

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Kristian G. Andersen@kgandersen.bsky.social · last yr.

The end of US leadership in science, technology, and innovation. All in one little table. A tremendous gift to China, courtesy of the GOP. nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/files/00-NSF...

Dr. Nahid Bhadelia@bhadeliamd.bsky.social · last yr.

In 1 month, BEACON has already reported 181 disease events & 381 individual reports. We're excited to announce that starting June 2nd, BEACON will be sending a free Weekly Disease Event Digest on Mondays to help you stay informed about emerging threats globally. Sign up below!

BEACON@beaconbio.bsky.social · last yr.

Starting on Monday, BEACON will be sending a weekly Disease Event Digest newsletter with summaries of infectious disease events over the previous week from around the world. If you haven’t signed up yet, subscribe here: http://spr.ly/63324NfQh8

BEACON (Biothreats Emergence, Analysis, and Communications Network)
Eric Topol@erictopol.bsky.social · last yr.

"Our calculations suggest that the proposed budgetary cuts to the NIH will create a social cost that is 16 times greater than the savings that the administration is attempting to achieve." jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Cutting the NIH—The $8 Trillion Health Care Catastrophe

This JAMA Forum discusses the recent budget cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH), the effects of these cuts on scientific research and health of individuals in the US, and the prospects for cha...

jamanetwork.com

Kristian G. Andersen@kgandersen.bsky.social · last yr.

And here’s the write-up with early findings and conclusions. Phenomenal work! (Note, all sequencing, analyses, response, etc. done locally!) virological.org/t/genomic-ep...

Genomic epidemiology of Mpox virus in Sierra Leone

Background Sierra Leone confirmed its first Mpox case on January 10 2025, with the Minister of Health declaring a Public Health Emergency shortly thereafter. Cases have surged in recent weeks, with ov...

virological.org

Kristian G. Andersen@kgandersen.bsky.social · last yr.

Amazing work from our colleagues in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and elsewhere, making the first sequences available from the ongoing Mpox epidemic in Sierra Leone. More to come - for now, head over to @pathoplexus.org: pathoplexus.org/seqsets/PP_S...