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Jessi Lang

@jessicalang.bsky.social
1.2K followers 3.1K following 51 posts

Assistant Professor, ovarian cancer genetics & epigenetics, mom of 2, cooking and gardening Opinions are my own, and not representative of my employer. jessicalanglab.github.io

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Reposted by Jessi Lang
Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
Finally on. Trump suggesting autism researchers lied, withheld information, one of the worst things to ever happen, went from 1:10,000 to 1 in 12 (boys in CA). No autism in folks who don't take vaccines (amish). Going great so far!
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
My lab recently received a Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) Early Career Investigator Award, which started July 1st! We are excited to expand our work on molecular profiling of ovarian cancer organoids.
Image of dome-shaped drop of matrix with embedded ovarian cancer organoids in the bottom of a well of a cell culture plate. In the background is DNA and molecular structures. Text reads "Awarded OCRP ECIA - Living Models of Ovarian Cancer"
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 06/07/2025
Summary Table of the massive defunding of biomedical research in the United States www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
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Adam Sternbergh @sternbergh.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
must be incredibly frustrating and disheartening to have federal funding that was promised to you for important work suddenly and arbitrarily ripped away
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Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Devastating NIH cuts to infectious disease research, eviscerating our nation’s capacity to fight emerging infections and pandemic threats. From @sanders.senate.gov report out yesterday www.sanders.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
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Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Billions can be hard to grasp. It is perhaps easier to consider how the grinding erosion caused by inflation affects the spending power of "a grant". From the Archive: drugmonkey.wordpress.com/2020/12/16/u...
drugmonkey.wordpress.com
Updating the Erosion of the Purchase Power of the Modular NIH R01
I last updated this topic in mid 2018 using finalized BRDPI inflation adjustment numbers from 2016 and projections out to 2018. The latest numbers get us finalized values to 2019 and projections be…
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Peter Sokol-Hessner @p1sh.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
“Science is a smart, low cost investment. The costs of not investing in it are higher than the risk of doing so… talk to people about science.” - @kevinochsner.bsky.social makes his case to the field #sans2025
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Gabriel Bosslet @gbosslet.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Well the NIH has cancelled the Women's Health Initiative, the largest study of women in history It has been running continuously since 1991 and has provided massive key knowledge about diseases in women Unreal www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NIH cancels its first and largest study centered on women
The Women’s Health Initiative has produced numerous influential findings
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
I'm giving up my smart watch. Deleted my data. There is zero transparency here on how the government is using our health data. www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-...
cbsnews.com
RFK Jr.'s autism study to amass medical records of many Americans
The autism study is planning to link confidential data "with broad coverage in the U.S. population" in one place for the first time.
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Morgan Lockhart @mizdoomcookie.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
It's time to delete your smart watch or health/fitness wearable data if you have not already. Even if you are not autistic. www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-...
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Nan Zhang @nanzhangwistar.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
A few quotes I love from this article about writing: "There’s no such thing as thinking", "Writing. Is. Thinking.", "Without writing there is no thinking and no real opportunity for exchange in the marketplace of ideas."
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
An open letter to graduate students and other procrastinators: it's time to write - PubMed
An open letter to graduate students and other procrastinators: it's time to write
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Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
See this chart for one stark example: NIH funding has dramatically slowed down. Grant awards are down *$3 billion* so far, compared to same time period last year I asked the White House to explain. “This is not a researcher entitlement program,” said an official, defending their new approach.
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
The Department of Defense funds me from their Ovarian Cancer Research Program. Valuable science that doesn't get much attention in NIH study sections that are not cancer-specific gets attention in these programs. This is terrible.
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
There is a forum on the NIH happening right now at the US Capitol, hosted by Senator Tammy Baldwin. You can listen in here (and rewind to the beginning): www.youtube.com/live/JofqSdW...
youtube.com
Baldwin Leads Forum on Trump and Musk’s Cuts to Cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease Cures
YouTube video by Senator Tammy Baldwin
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
Wow, a lot has happened in the last 62 days, hasn't it?
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
@baldwin.senate.gov, so happy to have a senator who fights for the medical research I do each day! Thank you
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Soragni:Lab @alice.soragnilab.com · 18/03/2025
The NCI grant supporting the Columbia comprehensive cancer center was terminated. Tell me how terminating support for cancer research helps the economy. taggs.hhs.gov/Content/Data...
taggs.hhs.gov
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Roli Roberts @roliroberts.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
"The end of the genetic paradigm of cancer" - a provocative piece in @plosbiology.org from Sui Huang, Ana Soto & Carlos Sonnenschein: "We expect that the diminishing returns from the ceaselessly growing databases of somatic mutations... may soon reach a pivot point" journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Cancer attractors on the epigenetic landscape.

Mathematically, the epigenetic landscape can be extended to regions that represent gene activation configurations (in pink) that exist in theory but are never realized during development and in physiological tissues (green traces descending the hill in the gray regions). The unused regions (pink) contain unoccupied attractors—the cancer attractors. Under abnormal conditions cells can, upon massive perturbation of their gene expression profile, enter such cancer attractors that lack a path to the normal mature cell type attractors (bottom)—and thus are “maturation-arrested” and, if associated gene activation configurations are compatible with cell viability, can become cancerous. Mutations rewire the gene regulatory network (GRN), thus altering the dynamics, which can result in lowering of the barriers (hills) that prevent cells from leaving the physiological regions, facilitating the occupation of cancer attractors.
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
Seven of my colleagues and friends at Columbia Law have written a compelling (and, in my view unanswerable) response to the unprecedented Title VI demand letter that the Trump administration recently sent to Columbia University: balkin.blogspot.com/2025/03/a-ti...
balkin.blogspot.com
Balkinization: A Title VI Demand Letter That Itself Violates Title VI (and the Constitution)
A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
I got the monkeypox exposure email yesterday, and an ICE email today with the same structure. Be careful clicking things out there! The phishers and scammers are now preying on our vulnerability.
I hope this message finds you well. In light of recent developments and to ensure the continued safety and well-being of everyone on campus, we are asking all staff to verify their associated details with the university administration. This is a precautionary step to avoid any unnecessary disruptions, particularly concerning potential interactions with federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
 
We kindly ask that you take a moment to review and confirm [Access Secure Area to Review] as soon as possible.

Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to [ice-report@wisc.edu].
 
We are committed to maintaining a respectful and safe environment for all our staff and students, and your support is vital in ensuring this.
 
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
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David A Knowles @davidaknowles.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Wow. "NIH" canceled my co-mentored (with Dave Sulzer) PhD student's F31 funding. His work is on understanding the genetics and neuroscience of language learning disorders. F31 provides no indirect $ to Columbia, just pays his salary. Not that it should matter, but he's an American citizen. W.T.F.
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Pretty please, me too?!?!?
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Tristan Yates @tristansyates.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Last year, I was overjoyed to receive an NIH NRSA fellowship to study toddler brains and caregiving effects on memory at Columbia. Last night, my grant was terminated.
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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
I have confirmation from several sources now that all T32s, many F30s and F31s, and most or all Center awards (P30, P50) have been terminated at Columbia. This is quite damaging to research and to individuals. This is pure terrorism and cannot be legal. But litigation will take time...
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BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
- Several colleagues are receiving notifications that their federal research grants have been canceled. - CDC, NIH career scientists fired. - University federal grants canceled. - PhD admissions are being canceled as a direct result. Its a terrifying time to be in healthcare or research in the US.
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Kristin Anderson, PhD @immunegirl.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
The House will vote soon on a continuing resolution to fund government programs through fiscal year 2025 that proposes a 57% funding cut to the CDMRP! The Ovarian Cancer Research Program is housed within the CDMRP. This cut would significantly disrupt research for ovarian cancer & other diseases.
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
"One future scientist... a postdoctoral fellow". We have GOT to do better at claiming ourselves as scientists early in our careers. It's only until recently in my own career that I feel comfortable calling myself a scientist...I am faculty. badgerherald.com/news/madison...
badgerherald.com
‘Science saves lives’: Protesters march against research cuts in Madison
Supporters of science and government-sponsored research and development gathered at the Wisconsin State Capitol Friday for the Stand Up for Science rally. Stand Up for Science is a national movement c...
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Anthony Perillo, Ph.D. @anthonyperillo.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
The strongest voices in #StandUpForScience2025 have come from graduate students. This could be wonderful for the future of science, but only if we keep the avenues open for people to produce & train in science. The science of tomorrow comes from today. Same for the scientists.
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
The National Cancer Institute (part of NIH) released new guidelines for "controversial, high-profile or sensitive" keywords that require "review prior to publication" if included in a product or materials. Keywords include abortion, obesity, and peanut allergies.
Materials produced or authored by NCI staff that address topics that may be controversial, high profile, or sensitive must be sent to the NCI Clearance Team for review prior to publication.

Depending on the nature of the information, additional review and clearance by the NCI director, deputy directors, NIH, and HHS may be required. In some cases, the material will not need further review, but the NCI Clearance Team will share it with NCI leadership, NIH, and/or HHS for their awareness.

Examples of controversial or high-profile topics include, but are not limited to:

Cancer Moonshot
NCI budget
COVID-19
Vaccines
H5N1/bird flu
Opioids ,
Marijuana
Dietary guidelines/ultra-processed foods
Obesity
Stem cell or fetal tissue research
Abortion
Autism
Peanut allergies
Fluoride
Measles
Diversity/equity efforts
Gender ideology
Environmental justice
Discussion of federal policies
Topics of federal investigations
Issues concerning pending legislation
Topics that have received recent attention from Congress
Topics that have received widespread or critical media attention
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Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
NEW: The National Cancer Institute will be a no-show this year at the the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Reearch, per internal NIH/NCI guidance dated March 4th, 2025.
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
My Senator used specific language I put in my call to her about concerns over NIH changes in the NIH confirmation hearing. OUR CALLS MATTER! Keep calling your representatives because we can help them frame how it is impacting their constituents and the nation. Make your calls specific.
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
I'm sorry, the likely next head of NIH (JB = Jay Bhattacharya), which is trying to reduce indirect cost rates on all NIH grants, doesn't understand where indirect costs go ⁉️ Admitted in his own confirmation hearing.....
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Zandrea Ambrose, Ph.D. 🦠🧬🧪🧫 @zandrea.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
This is why research funding is important to me.
NIH research funding supports medicine and my lab
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c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
40% of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. 56% of Americans have someone in their immediate family who has been diagnosed with cancer. In my lifetime, research has improved the % of people who can expect to live 5+ years after their diagnosis from 50% to 75%.
It's a plot from the NIH's 'National Cancer Trends Progress Report', showing all causes cancer survivability improving by year of diagnosis.

"The Healthy People 2030 Target for survival is pending revisions. This measure will be updated once the Healthy People 2030 target is finalized.
Source: SEER Program, National Cancer Institute. Underlying incidence data are from the SEER 8 areas
Data are not age-adjusted.
Expected survival rates are derived from the U.S. Annual Life Tables.
Regression lines are calculated using the JPSurv software, National Cancer Institute.
The Average Absolute Change in Survival (AAC_S) represents the average percentage points difference of cancer survival for people diagnosed in one calendar year compared to the prior year.
* Denotes statistical significance."
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Just had a great conversation with my 6yo about the importance of vaccines in preventing illness as we watched the news tonight and saw pictures of measles symptoms. She now understands why we make her get poked at the doctor. Also talked about the difference between prevention and treatment ❤️🧪
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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 26/02/2025
This is terrifying.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
We've heard a lot about cuts to research funding at the NIH but on a parallel track, hundreds of research projects at the VA have been canceled, veterans have seen experimental treatments for cancer or ALS discontinued, and scientists are being fired. Suzanne Gordon and Steve Early report:
prospect.org
VA Research Funding Slashed
Though not as prominent as the NIH, VA researchers play a major role in advancing basic health science. Hundreds of projects have been cut.
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Hannah Harris Green @whatsitlike.me · 23/02/2025
A source familiar with the process estimated that for every 3 days of postponed meetings, $1 billion of NIH funding is put on hold. That’s $1 billion dollars of research on diseases that kill people every day. And this is how they’re going to “Make America Healthy Again.”
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Valerie Horsley @valeriejhorsley.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Please share: @delauro.house.gov is cochair of the US House Congressional Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group. They are looking for instances where the impoundment and restriction of NIH/NSF funds is having a negative impact. Submit examples here delauro.house.gov/constituent-...
delauro.house.gov
2025 Federal Financial Assistance Freeze
On Monday, January 27th, 2025, President Trump issued an order to freeze virtually all of approved and legally required federal funding.
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Rachael Sirianni, PhD @docsirianni.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
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NPR @npr.org · 22/02/2025
The National Institutes of Health had to stop considering new grant applications, delaying funding for research into diseases ranging from heart disease and cancer to Alzheimer's and allergies.
npr.org
NIH funding freeze stalls applications on $1.5 billion in medical research funds
The National Institutes of Health had to stop considering new grant applications, delaying funding for research into diseases ranging from heart disease and cancer to Alzheimer's and allergies.
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Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
This is a wild, WILD situation. The President is at least allowing, licensing these emails though clearly not directing them. Meanwhile parts of the uniformed military are directing civilians within DOD to ignore them. Same at State and according to Dilanian FBI. But DOJ is saying do what the ...
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Andy Pekosz @andrewpekosz.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Everyone who ever got funding through NIAID should be aware of this bill and start sending messages to their US legislators. The bill intends to dissolve NIAID. This is Project 2025 www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
congress.gov
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Michael Honigberg @mchonig.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
The White House has ground NIH operations to a halt. E.g., the NHLBI’s CCHS study section, which evaluates large patient-oriented cardiovascular research proposals, was cancelled at the last minute this week. This is bad for science, scientists, patients/the public, and the economy.
votervoice.net
Tell Congress to Stop NIH Cuts
Please take 2 minutes today to ask Congress to take steps to stop funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The administration’s proposed cuts to federal research funding, particularly ...
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Hannah R Snyder @hannahrsnyder.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
A good summary and excellent set of questions to NIH and NSF leadership from Sens. Markey and Warren here - they ask for answers by 2/26, wonder if they'll get any? www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
warren.senate.gov
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
This is a great take
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Cool, cool....my daughter had a fever for 7 straight days from influenza at the beginning of the year, but yeah, let's not promote the flu shot. I got mine, and while I slept in her bed with her all week, I didn't get sick. www.statnews.com/2025/02/20/c...
statnews.com
HHS orders CDC to halt some vaccine ads, saying RFK Jr. wants message focused on ‘informed consent’
The CDC was ordered to shelve promotions it developed for a variety of vaccines after Health Secretary RFK Jr. said he wants message focused on "informed consent."
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Jessi Lang @jessicalang.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
My grant is one of these indefinitely delayed for review. This is affecting so many, and is critical for us to maintain our staff and trainees and to keep doing good for the public.
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BWJones @bwjones.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
It’s becoming apparent to me through multiple conversations with people over the last 3 days that NIH funding mechanisms that have not already gone through review and council will be delayed by AT LEAST 6 months.
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Irene Gallego Romero @ee-reh-neh.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
I do not understand how sex can be binary and immutable and fundamental and you're stuck with the one you were born with, but also not a variable worth studying. I... just... one hand argues men and women are fundamentally different and the other says but we don't care?
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