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W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist

@wallenmiller.bsky.social

Professor: Plant Pathology, Entomology & Microbiology (and Biochem, Biophys & Mol Biol) Iowa State University Research: Positive strand RNA viruses, bizarre translation mechanisms

30 Posts146 Follower62 Folgt
Angie Rasmussen@angierasmussen.bsky.social · last yr.

Virology as a field is facing hard times ahead. I’m grateful to my friend and colleague @shanluliu.bsky.social for stepping up to lead our community as we face this challenge. Lfg, Shan-Lu! 💪🏻✊🏻

Shan-Lu Liu@shanluliu.bsky.social · last yr.

I am honored to serve as president of the American society for Virology, thank you for your support. I wish to thank our past president Hector Aguilar-Carreno for a wonderful service and look forward to working with everyone.

Dan Garisto@dangaristo.bsky.social · last yr.

In light of the skinny budget (55.8% reduction), 6 past NSF directors and 7 NSB chairs have sent the House Committee on Appropriations a letter advising doubling the NSF budget. "We face a fork in the road. Do we want to win or concede the race for new knowledge and a competitive STEM workforce?"

Key paragraph of letter: We believe these challenges can be met, but not with the draconian budget plan and staffing reductions just released by OMB. Such a budget would thwart scientific progress, decimate the research workforce, and take a decade or more to recover. Achieving the President’s vision requires a major enhancement of the NSF budget, ideally a doubling of the FY25 level over the next few years and sufficient staff to execute this vision. In the current political climate, we know this is a bold request. We make it, nonetheless, to say -- if we truly wish to realize this vision, we must commit to a historic investment in fundamental research and education in a manner that leaves no doubt about the United States’ intentions with our international competitors. We face a fork in the road. Do we want to win or concede the race for new knowledge and a competitive STEM workforce? For 75 years winning that race has been the foundation of American prosperity and national security. Adopting the proposed cuts would fast-track China’s plans for technological dominance. As Senator Todd Young said in his March 25th Washington Post op-ed, “…Our policymakers should lock arms with the science-and-technology dreamers and doers across the country — from Silicon Valley to the Silicon Prairie — and recognize that basic research isn’t a federal handout to help sustain academia. Instead, it is a vital ingredient in our innovation future, economic and geopolitical competitiveness, and national security.” signatures of past NSF directors and NSB chairs
W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist@wallenmiller.bsky.social · last yr.

From the CDC: In the last 6 months in the US, there were: 8-13 million illnesses and 26,000-44,000 deaths from COVID-19. Yet HHS "will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago”. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Exclusive: NIH to cut grants for COVID research, documents reveal

Studies on climate change and South Africa are also on the latest list of grants to be terminated, according to updated documents obtained by Nature.

nature.com

W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist@wallenmiller.bsky.social · last yr.

I will miss Ann Palmenberg, my de facto mentor when I was a grad student. I learned so much from her about viruses, how to write a scientific paper, and more. Plus she was a lot of fun. Always enjoyed her presence at ASV meetings. www.cressfuneralservice.com/obituaries/a...

Ann Carol Palmenberg, Ph.D Obituary February 20, 2025 - Cress Funeral and Cremation Services

View Ann Carol Palmenberg, Ph.D's obituary, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

cressfuneralservice.com

W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist@wallenmiller.bsky.social · 2y ago

Why we do basic research. In my lab, grad student Liz Carino showed that MCMV RNA binds eIF4E for cap-independent translation. Who cares? Here's what followed: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Edited eukaryotic translation initiation factors confer resistance against maize lethal necrosis

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN), which is caused by maize chlorotic mottle virus along with a potyvirus, has threatened the food security of smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa. Mutations in eukaryotic tr...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com