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Erica Rodriguez, PhD

@ericarodriguez.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1K following 44 posts

Neuroscientist at Columbia studying the influence of our social environment on our emotions | NIGMS MOSAIC K99/R00 Scholar | ISFS Fellow | PhD in Affective Pain at Duke | Latina

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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
I have certainly lost a lot of hope in this process, but it is nice to see some people are still advocating for us. Thanks @jeremymberg.bsky.social
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Ashley Albright @aralbright.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
I am one of these faces. I certainly do feel like my life has been turned upside down multiple times this year, but I will always love my #NIHMOSAIC family and I am so glad we have people like @jeremymberg.bsky.social fighting for us ❤️
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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
The NIH can’t award ANY grants to outside researchers under new WH restriction, reports @wsj.com. The pause came in the form of a footnote from OMB Director Vought, in a document that doles out federal funds to the NIH. Prelude to rescissions, especially after his comments over the weekend?
wsj.com
Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding
The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.
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Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
On Thursday, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to grant them a stay on the Massachusetts vs Kennedy/ APHA vs NIH ruling. This decision will occur on the shadow docket, with no formal hearing.
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
👇👇👇👇
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Eliza Bliss-Moreau @eblissmoreau.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Public comment on this new "no animal only studies" is open here: www.fda.gov/news-events/... It closes next Monday.
fda.gov
FDA-NIH Workshop: Reducing Animal Testing
The FDA is hosting a workshop on reducing animal testing. The workshop is open to current FDA and NIH employees.
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DrGlitterbear @drglitterbear.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
The end of biomedical sciences has finally arrived: NIH announces end to funding for animal-only studies www.drugdiscoverytrends.com/nih-announce...
drugdiscoverytrends.com
NIH announces end to funding for animal-only studies - Drug Discovery and Development
Drug Discovery and Development covers strategies and technologies related to pharmaceutical research and development and drug formulation.
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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
The full ruling explaining why NIH grant cuts are illegal came out today. It's just as blistering as the judge's oral remarks. And it uncovers fresh details in DOGE's role orchestrating the cuts — and on the cuts at Columbia. Here are my top highlights from the 103-page ruling. 🧵
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Isabel @isabelott.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Sometimes you don’t realize the full burden you’ve been carrying –of being implicitly treated as a second-class citizen whose life isn’t worth preserving, of people working to fix health inequalities in this country being persecuted, of the crushing *silence* around it – until someone calls it out.
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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
An NIH staffer reacts to today's ruling: "I'm looking forward to the day that we are so slammed with work trying to reinstate everything that we had to terminate illegally — I'll work 24/7 to make that happen if I can."
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ACLU @aclu.org · 16/06/2025
BREAKING: A federal judge reversed National Institutes of Health's terminations of hundreds of critical research grants that were canceled because of their alleged connection to disfavored topics, including diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender identity. This is a major win for public health.
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
On terminated DEI-related grants, including mine. We are taking a step in the right direction here.
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Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Judge Young says he expects that the government will quickly comply with his order in this case. To clarify: he's vacating the grant terminations at issue. And wants the money to start flowing ASAP. Of note: the universe of grants "at issue" in this case is in dispute and will be litigated further
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Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
⚖️ HUGE day today in the NIH terminations cases There's a trial (of sorts) at 10a ET in Boston today for arguments that NIH unlawfully terminated 100s of grants. It's a 3 hour hearing and I'll post periodic updates. Of note: this is the 1st lawsuit filed against the Trump Admin to go to trial.
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eartha mae @endoeartha.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Some of us MOSAIC scholars (myself included) still haven't even received our official grant termination... These games they're playing with us, & now, "you have the opportunity to write another grant instead of finishing the research work/writing the paper that will get you hired". Thin gruel indeed
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Especially since most of us probably don't meet the eligibility requirements for these K's anymore. 🫠 And also the fact that we may not even get awarded on these second applications..........
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adelaide tovar @adel-aide.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
note that 7 out of 10 listed here are training mechanisms
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Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Judge comments: “Are you meaning to tell me the NIH policy is now homogeneity, inequity, and exclusion?” 👀
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Neil Lewis, Jr. @neillewisjr.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
My thought when, in the wake of mass grant cancellations, administrators said it's important that we continue applying for grants (including from the very agencies canceling them).
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Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute @zuckermanbrain.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
What’s at stake when scientific research funds are cut? Our own @ericarodriguez.bsky.social talks about the grant canceled for her work on social behaviors (with autism and schizophrenia ties) and the impact on her career. @gothamist.com tinyurl.com/yc34c64b
Erica Rodriguez, PhD
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Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
"Women are PIs on 58% of the canceled grants, although they are PIs on only 34% of all active NSF grants. Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
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Danielle Beckman @daniellebeckman.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
"Scientists might also be realizing that there’s little safety in silence." #SpeakOut www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Trump’s ‘fear factor’: Scientists go silent as funding cuts escalate
Many worry about retribution. But for others, speaking out is worth the risk
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Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Judge Young: A couple requests going forward: - Please provide a list of grants actually affected (I HAVE THIS!!!) - To HHS lawyer, "I understand gov't is against DEI. But this is about healthcare for all Americans. "Respectfully, I just don't know what [DEI] means" here. I need a definition.
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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
A US judge to govt lawyers defending the NIH's grant terminations: "I understand the administration is against DEI. Respectfully, I just don't know what you mean. This isn't a teasing question. There has to be some working definition. This is research to advance healthcare for all our citizens."
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It's ME(Jaime) @exceedhergrasp1.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
All, if you've had your federally-funded research disrupted due to the admin's chaos, consider this funding opportunity from Robert Wood Johnson: Rapid Response Research Rapid Response Research awards are exclusively available to applicants who have already received federal funding... 🧪🧵
evidenceforaction.org
Rapid Response Research Awards | Evidence for Action
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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Unlawful grant terminations are harming young scientists and threatening innovation. ASCB joins leaders calling for immediate funding restoration. www.ascb.org/society-news...
ascb.org
Leading Life Science Organizations: Unlawful Grant Terminations Pose Grave Threat to America’s Innovation Pipeline - ASCB
Amicus Brief Filed in Support of Suit Calling for Immediate Funding Restoration WASHINGTON, DC – Four leading life science organizations, including the ASCB, filed an amicus brief today asking the cou...
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adelaide tovar @adel-aide.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Encouraging to see this show of force and solidarity from the societies that support the development of MOSAIC scholars
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adelaide tovar @adel-aide.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
A group of scholars and I had a chance to share our experiences with the MOSAIC program being terminated 🧪 www.npr.org/sections/sho...
npr.org
As a diversity grant dies, young scientists fear it will haunt their careers
The Trump administration defunded the National Institute of Health's MOSAIC grant program, which launched the careers of scientists from diverse backgrounds.
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
I & other MOSAIC scholars spoke on the impact of the termination of our awards with the cancellation of the MOSAIC program. I also want to emphasize that our awards were based on our scientific merit, in addition to our past & future service to broaden participation in research.🧪🧠👩‍🔬 shorturl.at/R8UYV
npr.org
As a diversity grant dies, young scientists fear it will haunt their careers
The Trump administration defunded the National Institute of Health's MOSAIC grant program, which launched the careers of scientists from diverse backgrounds.
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American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) @aacu.org · 22/04/2025
More than 150 leaders of America's colleges, universities, and scholarly societies issued "A Call for Constructive Engagement" in response to the ongoing government intrusion into #highered. Read the full statement: www.aacu.org/newsroom/a-c...
Black and gray graphic with red ampersand followed by a white line and "AAC&U Public Statement" in all-caps white text.
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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
ATTENTION I am hearing from several sources that "NIH" sent out termination notices for most or all "diversity" awards yesterday to coincide with the new Notice. If you were affected by this and are willing to share, please DM me or reach me on Signal (jeremymberg.78) 1/2
media.tenor.com
a person is holding a red object in their hand .
ALT: a person is holding a red object in their hand .
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
💯 This right here 👇👇👇👇👇.
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Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
Everyone’s answer us losing our grant is “apply for more grants”. Do you know what it’s like to be attacked all day in news/government/by colleagues debating “DEI”, to have students coming to you for advice during this trying time, and then to try to sit down and focus to write?
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 20/04/2025
“They’ve taken away our sense of community,” she said. “It just makes it that much harder for people of color to feel comfortable pursuing higher education.” apnews.com/article/dei-...
apnews.com
DEI rollbacks hit campus support systems for students of color
As U.S. colleges are pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices, students of color say they are starting to lose campus mentors, move-in events, scholarships and diversity offices where...
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Maddy Jalbert @maddyjalbert.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
I got an email yesterday afternoon that my NSF SPRF Postdoctoral Fellowship was terminated. My grant focused on testing interventions to address online misinformation and I was 8 months into a two year appointment.
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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
Per source, NIH has been instructed to hold off from issuing ALL awards to Harvard, Cornell, Columbia, Brown, and Northwestern (including med schools) Agency staff have also been instructed to not speak about this funding freeze to grantees and applicants
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
So grateful to have @storiesofwin.bsky.social's @mfranch.bsky.social interview me & Sheila Steiner for putting together this write up! I had really fun talking about my science journey. I want to note that this journey had a little help from multiple NIH-diversity programs (MARC, F31, & MOSAIC).
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Carolyn Bertozzi @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social · 15/04/2025
Stanford stands with Harvard stanforddaily.com/2025/04/15/l...
stanforddaily.com
Stanford president and provost back Harvard in funding fight
The president and provost said Harvard’s rejection of government demands was “rooted in the American tradition of liberty.”
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Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
The Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) has been ended. drugmonkey.wordpress.com/2025/04/14/t...
drugmonkey.wordpress.com
The Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) has been ended.
NIH launched an effort to diversity the biomedical faculty with RFA-RM-20-022 issued on December 8, 2020. The purpose was . This was renewed with RFA-RM-21-025 and then with RFA-RM-22-008. The purp…
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
👇
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Eoin Higgins @eoinhiggins.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
MIT following Harvard's lead here
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Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
We called out Harvard in the past for inaction. So now we are happy to speak out with praise. This is a major step forward. It’s not just a lack of capitulation. It’s an aggressive effort leaning into public comms — exactly what is needed. Bravo to Harvard 👏
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Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
The Trump admin has just detained Mohsen Mahdawi, who: –has green card –was Columbia Buddhist club president –saw his best friend shot & killed by Israeli soldier –said "we are against antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
In addition to violating Mr. Mahdawi’s First Amendment rights, the Rubio
Determination and Mr. Mahdawi’s unlawful detention also violates Mr. Mahdawi’s statutory rights
and due process rights.
PARTIES
8. Petitioner Mohsen Mahdawi is a Palestinian who was born and raised in a refugee
camp in the West Bank. He is a lawful permanent resident of the United States and has been for
the last ten years. He is a recent student of Columbia University, with an expected graduation date
of May 2025. He has been admitted to a Master’s program at Columbia University’s School of
International and Public Affairs (“SIPA”), to begin in the fall of 2025.After growing up in a refugee camp, Mr. Mahdawi felt compelled to advocate for
Palestinian human rights upon moving to the United States.
22. Mr. Mahdawi is also a committed Buddhist and believes in non-violence and
empathy as a central tenet of his religion. In fall of 2021, he became the president of the Columbia
University Buddhist Association and led it for two years.
23. In fall of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi co-founded the Palestinian Student Union (“Dar”) at
Columbia University which “serves to engage with and celebrate Palestinian culture, history, and
identity.” Mr. Mahdawi co-founded this organization with Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian lawful
permanent resident who was also recently detained by ICE for his expressive conduct related to
Palestine. Mr. Mahdawi appeared in numerous televised interviews and print news articles
regarding the military campaign in Gaza and related protests. In December of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi
appeared on 60 Minutes where he shared that, as a child, he watched an Israeli soldier shoot and
kill his best friend in the West Bank.
27. Throughout his time as a student and a leader of Dar and the Columbia University
Buddhist Association, Mr. Mahdawi was always willing to engage in dialogue with people whose
views and beliefs differed from his own. Mr. Mahdawi believed, and continues to believe, that
more speech is the solution to disagreement, rather than less, and that empathy and understanding
through communication are a way to resolve conflicts peacefully.…and a peaceful political solution. Mr. Mahdawi gave speeches at several of these protests. In his
speeches, Mr. Mahdawi advocated for Palestinian human rights, a permanent ceasefire, and a
peaceful resolution that affirmed the human dignity of all.
25. During one protest, Mr. Mahdawi vocally denounced an unaffiliated passerby who
made an antisemitic comment, chanting “shame on him”. Mr. Mahdawi stated that “we are against
2:25-cv-00389 Document 1 Filed 04/14/25 Page 6 of 19
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antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere.” The confrontation was documented by the Columbia Spectator
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Akela Lacy @akelalacy.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
SCOOP: Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi went into an interview today hoping he would come out a U.S. citizen. Instead, ICE arrested him. theintercept.com/2025/04/14/i...
theintercept.com
Palestinian Student Leader Was Called In for Citizenship Interview — Then Arrested by ICE
Palestinian Columbia student leader Mohsen Mahdawi was called in for a citizenship interview. Instead, ICE arrested him for deportation.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 14/04/2025
Breaking News: Harvard rejected the Trump administration’s demands, including that it submit to monitoring and reduce the power of faculty and students.
nytimes.com
Harvard Will Not Comply With a List of Trump Administration Demands
Federal officials said Harvard must enact “merit-based reform” in hiring and admissions, among other things. Harvard called the demands unlawful.
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Amelia Eisch 🧪🧠👩‍🔬 🐁 @eisch.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Bad news for all of us: champion for inclusion & excellence @ NIH/NINDS Dr. Michelle Jones-London is leaving NINDS.💔 She helped launch the career of countless cutting-edge neuroscientists & set the standard for training. Great news of course for where ever she goes next. 🧪🧠@jeremymberg.bsky.social
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Sarah Lazare @sarahlazare.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Mahmoud Khalil addressing the judge today: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
This is all because Maine wouldn’t remove two trans student athletes from their teams. Two in the entire state.
ed.gov
U.S. Department of Education Announces Consequences for Maine’s Title IX Noncompliance
U.S. Department of Education Announces Consequences for Maine’s Title IX Noncompliance
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Nicole Micheroni @nicolemicheroni.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
Some personal news: the Department of Homeland Security has given me, an immigration lawyer born in Newton, Massachusetts, seven days to leave the U.S. Does anyone know if you can get Italian citizenship through great-grandparents?
Email from DHS revoking parole, unnamed recipient, received by Nicole Micheroni. Part 1Email from DHS revoking parole, unknown recipient, received by Nicole Micheroni. Part 2
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Erica Rodriguez, PhD @ericarodriguez.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
And it just keeps getting worse.
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