Prof Sheena Cruickshank
@sheencr.bsky.social
Immunologist & science communicator based at UoM fascinated by our immune response to threats (pathogens, pollution) & microbiome & how this exposome affects health. Also quite likely to share random dog and nature pics 🧪👩🔬 #AcademicSky #SciCom
A few people have asked me to write a simple explainer about chronic inflammatory conditions like autoimmunity or allergy so here is an immunology 101 about what we understand about why they occur. Will dig into more research studies in a future post. Hope u enjoy
Immunology 101: Chronic inflammatory diseases are increasing but why?
An overview of some of the ideas as to why some of us get chronic inflammatory diseases
open.substack.com
A few people have asked me to write a simple explainer about chronic inflammatory conditions like autoimmunity or allergy so here is an immunology 101 about what we understand about why they occur. Will dig into more research studies in a future post. Hope u enjoy
Immunology 101: Chronic inflammatory diseases are increasing but why?
An overview of some of the ideas as to why some of us get chronic inflammatory diseases
open.substack.com
I saw this interview + applaud the journalist challenging RFKJr who repeatedly denied culpability for spreading disinformation that contributed to vaccine hesitancy, told out right lies about Lyme disease,Tylenol + RSV b4 eventually grudgingly conceding the MMR vaccine protects against measles
RFK Jr tells US families to vaccinate children against measles amid outbreak
Health secretary, longtime vaccination skeptic, spent years boosting misinformation about vaccines including MMR
theguardian.com
I don’t know- a president lying and a department hiding the truth really should be surprising and shouldn’t happen but in Trump’s administration he can never be made to look wrong even the contortions are so obvious to all.
CNN@cnn.com · 4d ago"Nothing about what happened Friday, when the Justice Department dropped its case against a purported Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandal, was completely surprising," writes CNN's Aaron Blake. "But that’s also what makes it so scandalous." | Analysis: https://cnn.it/4xe4Dte
Trump puts his ‘anti-weaponization fund’ back on the table
Trump puts his ‘anti-weaponization fund’ back on the table
The missive comes a day after Trump declared the fund “dead” in a Cabinet meeting at Camp David.
dlvr.it
🧵On @thenewsagents.co.uk yesterday, school closures and the lab leak theory were offered as two examples of legitimate questions that were hard to ask. Both have in fact been asked constantly since 2020. But here's a thread on why I think they were wrong and dangerous on school closures 1/12
this is a great feature from @nature.com albeit not a good news story as shows how mosquitoes are spreading throughout the world driven by climate change and trade routes. 🧵 #ClimateChange
How mosquitoes are conquering the world — in four charts
Mosquito-borne diseases are breaking records as climate change and other human influences allow the insects to expand their range.
nature.com
Hear hear although in UK still much to do regarding tackling inequalities to address changes in north versus south in longevity
The US public is fed up with RFK Jr. To really ‘make America healthy again’, it should look to Europe | Devi Sridhar
Americans are dying younger than Europeans, despite being the wealthiest people on the planet. Wellness fads won’t change that, says public health expert Devi Sridhar
theguardian.com
Good summary of what the insanity that was the Fauci hearing yesterday was about- basically a senators vendetta against Fauci and overall an attack on science versus conspiracy theories. An absolute shocking display from the Republican senators involved.
Anthony Fauci’s high-profile Senate hearing: what we learned
Six years on from Covid crisis, Republicans still politicizing science – and Fauci remains a political punching bag
theguardian.com
Some good news as looks like the US will finally release the 600m dollars that had originally been approved for GAVI to support international vaccine programs but were then held back due to objections from RFKjr who demanded they remove thiomersal from all vaccines
State Department agrees to reinstate vaccine funding for Gavi
The department had been withholding $600 million in congressionally appropriated funds for the international vaccine partnership.
cidrap.umn.edu
Looking at this feed today is depressing. Senators fuelled by hate and disinformation are being unspeakably horrible, hostile, inane in their showboard questioning of Fauci who had one of the most challenging roles during the peak pandemic
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last wk."He killed people" -- Sen. Tommy Tuberville calls for Dr Fauci to be immediately imprisoned for "the lies he gave to President Trump"
The irony is that Trump (even if Fauci was steering it) helped shepherd Operation Warp Speed to develop a Covid vaccine but now he is pushing ever more anti vax agenda as measles cases spiral in the States
Trump reportedly pushing RFK Jr to cut vaccines more aggressively
White House has halted changing vaccine schedule as it is unpopular, but anti-vaxx Trump set on ‘alleviating autism’
theguardian.com
Absolutely devastated to hear that the SFTC cuts mean that funding for astronomical research at Jodrell Bank has been stopped. The changes to UKRI funding and especially SFTC are really harming UK science
Jodrell Bank Observatory facing closure after major funder cuts support
Scientists say decision is blow to UK astronomy as deep space observatory is home to world-leading facilities
theguardian.com
As the US sees its highest number of measles cases in decades and vaccination rates fall, researchers are developing drugs to help those who contract the virus or who are particularly vulnerable. www.wired.com/story/measle...
Measles Is Becoming So Common That Treatments May Soon Be Needed
As the US sees its highest number of measles cases in decades and vaccination rates fall, researchers are developing drugs to help those who contract the virus or who are particularly vulnerable.
wired.com
The British edition of CPAC, the US (ultra)-Conservative Political Action Conference, took place in London last week. @mccoolingtons.bsky.social reports on how its young organisers are part of a web of culture-war connections – from the US Christian right to Viktor Orbán's influence network
Grim data as, just half way through the year, the USA has reached a 35 year high for reported measles cases. Studies also showing more people (typically unvaccinated) requiring hospitalisations.
Measles cases reach 35-year high in US
cidrap.umn.edu
Excited to say that I'll be presenter's friend on Inside Science tomorrow covering an extravaganza of maths related stories from mathematical monkeys to mathematical machines. Give it a listen at 16:30 on Thursday on BBC Radio 4:
Radio 4 - Listen Live - BBC Sounds
Listen live to Radio 4 on BBC Sounds
bbc.co.uk
Andy Burnham wants a “cost of living government” that makes life’s essentials more affordable. Free, independent advice services are essential to delivering that - helping millions every year & easing pressure on public services. Read @adviceuk.bsky.social letter to the PM 👇https://bit.ly/3TeGeVQ
Call to predoctoral researchers: Introducing the Robin Weiss Science Writing Prize - celebrating creativity in science academic.oup.com/ooim/article...
Once again under Trump the EPA is shunning science and promoting pollution. This time they are chucking EPA commissioned research to enable them to continue use of PFA contaminated sewage slush as fertiliser.
Trump officials kill proposed rules for Pfas-contaminated sewage fertilizer
EPA tosses out scientific research carried out under Biden and says toxic sludge not a significant threat to public
theguardian.com
Jcvi have stated that Covid vaccine eligibility for a free vaccine has been narrowed to over 80s this Autumn. Why have they made this decision? 🧵 #Vaccine #Covid #HealthPolicy
UK restricts Autumn boosters to 80 year olds
JCVI noted in their cost-benefit analysis that willingness to pay privately increases with age
open.substack.com
There are two possibilities here. Taylor Farms paid a shit ton of money to get the FDA to say this. Or DOGE decimated the FDA so significantly that they managed to fuck up a basic sample test. Neither one is great!
Dr. Lucky Tran@luckytran.com · 2w agoThe FDA now says that Taylor Farms finding is a false positive. What a mess.
Once again a lack of science informing Hesgeth decisions for the military could harm the army. First it was vaccines being dropped and now he wants to give testosterone when it may damage soldier health n fertility
Doctors question evidence behind Pentagon plan for testosterone screening
Pete Hegseth announced that soldiers aged 30 and older in the US military will be screened for low testosterone
theguardian.com
Climate change increases the likelihood and severity of forest fires and unfortunately many countries including the UK are experiencing severe wildfires. To threaten tariffs over drifting wildfire smoke whilst curbing climate action and promoting fossil fuels is both idiotic and irresponsible
Republicans threaten Canada with sanctions over drifting wildfire smoke
Fires are also blazing across the US and the Trump administration has repealed several climate protections
theguardian.com
Oooh. The RI just announced the debut performance of my talk "You Don't Know What You're M ss ng". If you're in or near London on 19th September, please do come along and pack the place out. Come and say hi afterwards too. It would be great to see you.
You don't know what you're m ss ng: The hidden data shaping our behaviour | Royal Institution
Mathematician and author Kit Yates returns to the Ri to explore how our understanding of reality is shaped b
rigb.org
