Federal research grants are not subsidies. They fund biomedical and other research that drives innovation and saves lives. Even the ivies do not have enough laying around to fund this kind of work on the level that NIH and other fed agencies provide funding. Donations can never replace NIH funding.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is being decimated right now. Mass layoffs happening across agencies (NIH, FDA, CDC etc).
Some employees found out by security badge being denied. Others got email.
Line outside Health Resources and Services Administration this AM shared with me:
Last Friday, 1,000 more NIH biomedical research projects were defunded with no notice
Here’s a word cloud of canceled grants, based on their titles
my NIH grant was terminated today - the grant that pays my rent and my bills and my loans and my health insurance - because I study how to improve the lives and wellbeing of queer people #episky #medsky
I was just present as a valued colleague received an email that her NIH grant was terminated. I cannot fully convey the agony of the senseless destruction of the U.S. research infrastructure. It accomplishes NOTHING positive. It is a malicious attack on scientists who support the public’s health.
If this doesn't feel like fascism to you because things are still mostly normal at work and school and the vacation is still planned, congratulations you've just learned what fascism is like.
It is insidious. It will initially target only the most vulnerable — people who probably aren't like you.
MRI scanner speaking into a microphone.
We're thrilled to announce the BlueSky debut of the MGH Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging!
Follow us for research updates, collaborations, and insights into the world of imaging. Or just say hello. We always love hearing from you.
#Science #BiomedicalImaging #SuperAwesomeResearchers&Staff
NEW: The NIH has begun terminating grants for active projects studying gender identity, DEI, environmental justice, climate change, among other topics.
At least 16 termination letters have already been sent — and hundreds more are coming, people inside NIH tell me.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
I got laid off today, with the rest of 18F.
18F was an elite federal software shop. We made gov't websites work better, more efficiently for the American people. We saved taxpayers from getting screwed over by contractors. And were fired for it.
We made this website to tell our story:
18f.org
Thanks for writing this article, so informative and necessary. As an early career investigator who had my grant review session cancelled, my career is in jeopardy. Critical for people to understand how dire the situation is. There's little communication to us, we depend on journalists for this info!
I talked to NIH officials, current and former, about what's been happening inside the agency since the Trump administration shut down their grantmaking pipeline in January. Their stories showed just how willing our new leaders are to break the law: www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
I believe we have breaking news in Inside Medicine.
I spoke to a member of the FDA vaccine committee who confirmed that the meeting to decide the 2025-2026 flu shot composition was abruptly canceled today.
My on-the-record Q&A with the FDA advisor:
insidemedicine.substack.com/p/scoop-fda-...
In my latest article for @science.org, I reflect on the current challenges faced by early-career researchers, including delays in grant reviews, uncertainty around NIH funding freezes and changes, and the critical need for continued support and advocacy.
www.science.org/content/arti...
This is bad.
NEW: The N.I.H. will cut about $4 Billion from federal research grants that support cancer, virus and heart disease research.
#Project2025 called for the cuts to end subsidies to "leftist" university agendas.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/u...
Every University has a stable of lawyers and together they will form a thundering herd. The indirect cost cap, if left in place, could take down entire university towns. Every dollar of NIH funding returns $2.46 in economic activity. www.nih.gov/about-nih/wh...
The NIH announced it will slash billions of dollars of support to universities and research centers.
This is one of the biggest attacks on science we have ever seen. It could dismantle the biomedical research system, shut down clinical trials, and halt development of treatments.
1. Today the NIH director issued a new directive slashing overhead rates to 15%.
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Whoever Lindsey is, she's blowing up US science, and ceding current US science advantages to other countries, including China. That means cancer drugs, bioweapon defense, brain science, and more.
Hope her colleagues on the right realize they're helping China win!
NEW from inside NIH: I am hearing that a “young” DOGE staffer now has access to eRA, the software system used to track/administer all NIH grants.
New: Musk and his minions have illegally installed a commercial server to control federal HR databases that contain sensitive personal information, including SSNs, home addresses, and medical histories, according to an OPM staffer www.muskwatch.com/p/musk-assoc...
fuck yes
More than 8,000 web pages across more than a dozen U.S. government websites have been taken down since Friday afternoon, a New York Times analysis found. The purges have removed information about vaccines, veterans’ care, hate crimes, scientific research and more.
BREAKING NEWS: CDC orders mass retraction and revision of submitted research across all science and medicine journals. Banned terms must be scrubbed.
Goes beyond MMWR +other CDC pubs. Applies to research already submitted to top medical journals.
Take a look.
open.substack.com/pub/insideme...
Since I was laid off from Vox a few weeks ago, I no longer cover public health for that outlet -- but I sure do stay in touch with my many sources at the CDC and in public health more broadly
The overwhelming msg they're getting this week is that this admin simply has no idea how anything works
again this is a full scale attack on constitutional government
if a major politician held an emergency rally about the current ongoing coup by the richest man in the world, I think people would go to it. Shit is well and truly fucked. I can think of a couple of people who should do that right now.
What's really annoying on an existential level is knowing that Elon isn't actually destroying the federal government for ideological reasons, he's doing it for the same reason he lies about playing Path of Exile, which is to impress the shitty little dickheads on the website he ruined
what’s happening with the CDC, NIH, etc is targeted censorship and erasure and we should all be raising hell over it
