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Amelia Cuarenta, PhD

@thefortylab.bsky.social
238 followers 138 following 19 posts

Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan | NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 | neuroscience, epigenetics, & reward 🧠🧬 | dog mom 🐶 | Lover of the gym, ultimate, and the outdoors 🏋🏽‍♀️🏕️ 🇲🇽🏳️‍🌈

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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Nature @nature.com · 15/08/2026
The NIH did not respond to Nature’s queries about the change or the agency’s rationale for the move away from research on the health effects of public policy go.nature.com/3U1910s
go.nature.com
NIH limits funding for research on the health effects of public policy
Nature - US biomedical agency no longer considers policymakers as ‘mission relevant’, leaving dozens of grants in limbo.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
New story from @jocelynkaiser.bsky.social at Science on K award changes. www.science.org/content/arti... 1/13
science.org
NIH is ending a key grant for budding clinical researchers
Agency will no longer allow K career awards to fund clinical trials
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
MagnoliaBouton @magnoliabouton.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
NIH plans to block international researchers on visas from accessing key funding avenue: the K99/R00. Devastating news for the international research training community, who strongly contribute to US biomedical research. All will feel this great loss! www.statnews.com/2026/08/07/n...
statnews.com
NIH plans to block international researchers on visas from accessing key funding avenue
The NIH plans to close the door on one of the few pathways available to international students on visas to forge a career in biomedical research in the U.S.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
PBS News @pbsnews.org · 28/07/2026
Public health concerns are widening as cyclosporiasis cases surge and a salmonella outbreak across 17 states has many Americans raising concerns about U.S. food safety. to.pbs.org/4wqV9Lr
to.pbs.org
Cyclospora and salmonella outbreaks raise concerns about U.S. food safety
Public health concerns are widening as cyclosporiasis cases surge and a salmonella outbreak across 17 states has many Americans raising concerns about U.S. food safety. Back-to-back cases where people...
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
This amount would fund the US National Science Foundation for a decade. 🧪
apnews.com
Pentagon seeks $80 billion from Congress for Iran war
The Pentagon has told lawmakers it needs roughly $80 billion, mostly to cover the cost of the war in Iran.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 23/04/2026
How it started / how it’s going — Jay Bhattacharya edition. 2025: “We will never use this agency to censor scientists who disagree" 2026 : Bhattacharya “has canceled the publication of a study that found that the Covid vaccine sharply cut the odds of hospitalizations and emergency visits”.

foxandfriends
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"We will never use this agency to censor scientists who disagree": Director Jay Bhattacharya reflects on his pandemic-era censorship experiences & outlines his commitment to open scientific communication at the NIH.
April 1, 2025A Health Department official said Dr. Jay Bhattacharya had met with the study's authors but that they had not wanted to change its design. Eric Lee for The New York Times
By Apoorva Mandavilli
April 22, 2026
The acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has canceled the publication of a study that found jthat the Covid vaccine sharply cut the odds of hospitalizations and emergency visits last winter, a Health Department spokesman said.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
ACLU @aclu.org · 18/02/2026
BREAKING: The Department of Education has ended its directive that attempted to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools nationwide. This is a victory for academic freedom and education equity.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Noam Ross @noamross.net · 02/02/2026
NSF GRFP applicants (and mentors): Was your application Returned Without Review and deemed ineligible despite fitting in the allowed topics? 1) Write NSF 2) Write your Congressperson 3) CC us at grfp@grant-witness.us so we can compile + follow up Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
I am SO incredibly excited to announce the launch of a global list of Inspiring Black Scientists. You can use this list to nominate and connect with researchers. Please share and join us in highlighting these outstanding scientists for #BlackHistoryMonth and beyond! www.wiley.com/en-us/resear...
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
I get tired of saying it, but I’ll say it again: the nature of oppression in America is that they workshop it first on Black, Latino, Asian & Native people. But it is always, in the end, coming for everyone.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Leading American companies — including Palantir, Deloitte, and private prison giant GEO Group — raked in over $22B from ICE and CBP contracts last year. Do not forget who is profiting from cruelty and human suffering.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 29/01/2026
Washington, DC. March 7th, 2026. Rally with us to Take Back Science! 🧪✊🔬💥 The stakes could not be higher: we're facing attacks from an administration hell-bent on dismantling our science and our democracy. We have to stand up and fight back! GET IN, DORKS! www.standupforscience.net/ma...
Poster graphic reading Take Back our Science Rally! Washington DC, March 7th, 2026. standupforscience.net/march7. A group of protesters carrying signs in support of science are gathered in front of the US capitol building. A line of red stars streaming from right to left decorates the poster.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
An ICE agent attempted to enter the Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis, threatening the staff member who prevented him from entering. Hello? ICE is so out of control that its agents think they can break international law. Congress needs to rein them in yesterday.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Colette Delawalla, PhD @cdelawalla.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Pressure works! Capitulation and appeasement does not! apnews.com/article/dei-...
apnews.com
Trump administration drops legal appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and colleges
The Trump administration is dropping its appeal of a federal court ruling that blocked a campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion threatening federal funding to the nation’s schools and colle...
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
PBS News @pbsnews.org · 22/01/2026
Democrats are trying to translate visceral outrage into political strategy, even though there's little consensus on how to press forward on issues where the party has recently struggled to earn voters' trust. to.pbs.org/4jOplKK
pbs.org
After Minneapolis crackdown, Democrats confront political vulnerabilities to battle Trump on immigration
Democrats are trying to translate visceral outrage into political strategy, even though there's little consensus on how to press forward on issues where the party has recently struggled to earn voters' trust.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Colette Delawalla, PhD @cdelawalla.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Here’s the deal with the FY26 NIH funding bill: One line in the 1000+ pg bill = significantly less science. The increase to ~40% of grants moving to MYF is estimated to result in a 35% decrease in the NUMBER of NIH grants funded annually—moving the paylines from 10% to around 4%. THIS IS BAD.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Director Bhattacharya spending more time on podcasts, this time taking about not renewing grants NIH was forced to restore. Good reporting from @aniloza.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/12/31/n... 1/3
statnews.com
NIH director says DEI-related grants that were restored under a court order won’t be renewed
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya told a podcaster that DEI-related grants restored under a court order won't be renewed in 2026
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
ACLU @aclu.org · 29/12/2025
BREAKING: The National Institutes of Health has agreed to evaluate grant applications that were wrongfully frozen due to the Trump administration’s ideological purge of biomedical research.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
AOC to @pabloreports.bsky.social : A swastika is one of the clearest symbols of hatred in all of humanity… to remove that designation… indicates a possible collaboration with those very elements, which I think is genuinely frightening to any American.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Here's the press release ICE issued the day after Chaofeng Ge died. Although, he was found with hogtied with “a cloth ligature around his neck,” ICE chose this headline: ICE detainee passes away at Pennsylvania's Moshannon Valley Processing Center "Passes away." source: www.ice.gov/news/release...
U.S. Immigration 
and Customs
Enforcement

Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE
Report Crime
 
NEWSROOM

AUGUST 6, 2025 • PHILIPSBURG, PA •
DETAINEE DEATH NOTIFICATIONS

ICE detainee passes away at Pennsylvania's
Moshannon Valley Processing Center

PHILIPSBURG, Penn. - Chaofeng Ge, a 32-year-old citizen of China in ICE custody, was pronounced deceased by the Clearfield County coroner at approximately 6:03 a.m. on Aug. 5. The cause of
death is under investigation.

Ge was detained at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg. He had been in ICE custody for five days and was awaiting a hearing before the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review. MVPC staff discovered Ge hanging by the neck and unresponsive in the shower room of his detention pod at 5:21 a.m. They immediately lowered him to the ground, began CPR and contacted Phillipsburg Emergency Medical
Services, the Pennsylvania State Police and the coroner's office.

[the press release is longer than what is visible in this screenshot]
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Update on a significant development NIH grant terms. On 10/1, a change to grant making regs went into effect that gives NIH more power to terminate grants for policy reasons. But to use this power, new grant terms must include specific language. See @aniloza.bsky.social w/ the story from July. 1/
statnews.com
HHS devises legal playbook for future grant terminations, internal memo shows
Exclusive: HHS devises a legal playbook for future research grant terminations, an internal memo shows.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Greg Ragland @sleepyfly.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Join us at CU Denver Biology! We have an open search for an assistant professor in cell and molecular biology to support our research and teaching mission. cu.taleo.net/careersectio...
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Amelia Cuarenta, PhD @thefortylab.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
✨🧠 Excited to share my research at #SFN today! If you’re around, stop by the Neurobiology of Stress Minisymposium this afternoon. We have a stacked session filled with fantastic talks. You won’t want to miss this line up! 🙌🏽
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Matthew Facciani @matthewfacciani.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
Beyond the false claims linking Tylenol to autism, it is especially gross to see extremely wealthy men shaming women for not ‘toughing it out’ during pregnancy.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Here’s a story that’s becoming all too common: federal immigration agents using racial and ethnic profiling as a rationale for stopping, questioning and detaining U.S. citizens who they suspect are undocumented.
theatlantic.com
A U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE for Three Days Tells His Story
A conversation with George Retes, an Army veteran swept up in a California raid
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
The president of the United States just declared war, actual military war, not a metaphorical one, on a major American city, and one governed by his political opponents. In any other period, this would be impeachment-worthy.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 06/09/2025
Know your rights, Illinois. Stay safe and stay informed.
Know & Exercise Your Rights Flyer provided by the Illinois Immigration Information Hub.

1. Remain Calm. 2. You have the right to deny entry without a valid warrant. 3. You have the right to remain silent. 4. You have the right to speak with an attorney. 5. You have the right to not sign anything.

For more information, head to: https://www.illinoisimmigrationinfo.org/Know & Exercise Your Rights Flyer provided by the Illinois Immigration Information Hub.

For more information, head to: https://www.illinoisimmigrationinfo.org/
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Free DC @freedcproject.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
This is what democracy looks like! A people united will never be defeated. We want federal forces out of DC NOW! #WeAreAllDC #FreeDC
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
Want to see the economic impact of #NIH grant cuts in your community? Check out @joshuasweitz.bsky.social and colleagues' project here. Tell your friends and neighbors what is happening. scienceimpacts.org
scienceimpacts.org
SCIMaP - Impacts of Federal Cuts to Science and Medical Research
Developed by an interdisciplinary research team, this website shows how funding cuts reduce economic activity and employment nationwide
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
9/14
This is illustrated in another way with this “word cloud” based on the grant titles from the ~200 awards.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
I just sent this email to Director Bhattacharya and am sending him a hard copy by registered mail. 1/14
August 22, 2025

Dear Director Bhattacharya:

I write to you regarding your plans after the Supreme Court ruling yesterday. As you know, the Supreme Court did allow a stay on the required grant reinstatements based on a controversial jurisdictional issue but also found that the grant termination processes used were likely illegal.

I know you are deeply concerned about public trust in NIH. I hope that you understand that proceeding to fail to reinstate or to re-terminate grants that had been found to have been illegally terminated will not increase the public trust in NIH. This would also be substantially damaging to science.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 21/08/2025
🐤Promise you this is one you'll want to say you were a part of... Help us get our 'ducks in a row' and IMPEACH AND REMOVE THAT DANG QUACK!!!! 📣🦆📣🦆📣🦆📣🦆 Link here: tinyurl.com/sufsci
rainbow rubber duckies all in a line
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
16% loss at NIH 22% loss at NIDA; 22% loss at NIMH, 18% NIA, 17% NIAID. 17% loss at NIAAA, finally answering the question about unusually huge losses of POs causing their funding slowness in the negative.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Lisa Jarvis @lisamjarvis.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
The Trump administration, seemingly determined to hobble the NIH, continues to devise new and insidious ways to politicize what has long been considered the crown jewel of US research. My latest for @opinion.bloomberg.com (🎁 link):
bloomberg.com
Politicizing Scientific Research Comes With a Hefty Price
More oversight at the National Institutes of Health is slowing down innovation that could meaningfully improve people’s lives.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
"People rallied with the doctors, calling for medical professionals to be allowed inside..." www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news...
cbsnews.com
Doctors attempting to see ICE holding facility at 26 Federal Plaza are rejected
Several New York physicians are speaking out against what they say are inhumane conditions at an immigration holding facility in Lower Manhattan.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Several people have suggested that I compile my emails to Bhattacharya and I am delighted to do so. Announcing the first cut of "Fifty Shades of 'Jay' jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g... This contains just the first few exchanges. I will be adding more as time permits.
A cover labeled "Fifty Shades of 'Jay' by Jeremy M Berg
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Santiago Mayer @santiagomayer.com · 15/08/2025
It is insane to me that the government can find money to pay ICE agents increasingly larger sums of money, yet teachers have to buy their own pencils.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Fired but Fighting (National Public Health Coalition) @firedbutfighting.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
After the past few days, it's more important than ever that we speak out against the war on science and research. Make your voice heard. Join us this Saturday: bit.ly/SoundScience....
A graphic promoting the Sound Science Saves Lives rally. There is a picture of a man speaking in a megaphone in front of a globe. Text at the top says "Science and research are under attack, so we're fighting back. August 16th 10:30 am 10th @Peachtree St Atlanta, GA" At the bottom, it says "mobilize link in caption."
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
Related to our previous post- if you had a grant terminated, Pro Publica wants to hear from you. Your work was funded because it was good, important science meant to help Americans. Reach out, and make your voice heard. www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...
propublica.org
Did You Work on a Terminated NIH Grant? ProPublica Wants to Hear From You.
The National Institutes of Health is canceling grants that are seen as conflicting with the Trump administration’s priorities. We want to hear from researchers who have been affected.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Colette Delawalla, PhD @cdelawalla.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
🚨ACTION OF THE DAY🚨 @standupforscience.bsky.social Day 13! WRITE UP WEDNESDAY! Our team on the hill learned that "Contact Me" forms on congress people's websites are very underutilized. WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT… 🔗 Instructions and scripts here: docs.google.com/document/d/1... #31Days
docs.google.com
SUFS Aug 12 Action Steps
Demand our Representatives Support Science Funding First, Find Your Representative: Go to your representative's "contact me" page on their website [list linked here] and fill out the message form. It...
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
Important- if you had an illegally terminated grant that was reinstated, you might not be safe. Staff are being told that grants *may* be canceled after October 1st, 2025 if not "in line with agency priorities". POs are being muzzled and can't tell grantees directly. #NIH #NIH_funding
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Denis Wirtz @deniswirtz.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
My team has updated our free database of POSTDOC fellowships. This database contains 286 entries. For each entry, we provide a link, short description, deadline, amount, and eligibility criteria. Download this updated and expanded database here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 10/08/2025
Record-setting rains in Wisconsin led to life-threatening flash flooding in Milwaukee and the surrounding area overnight Saturday to Sunday, prompting widespread flood alerts and the early closure of the Wisconsin State Fair. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/u...
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Amitai Shenhav @ashenhav.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
These job ads have now been posted! 🎉 Social/Personality: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05020 Biological Basis of Behavior: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05054 Please spread the word!
aprecruit.berkeley.edu
Assistant Professor - Social Personality - Department of Psychology
University of California, Berkeley is hiring. Apply now!
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
💯 So many amazing and dedicated people lost their jobs today, to the detriment of us all. America is weaker today than it was before.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
anil oza @aniloza.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
By entirely funding more awards up front, the NIH is on track to fund just 1 in 25 applications Such a payline “would chase a lot of people out of science” former NCI director Ned Sharpless told us 🧪🔬 www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...
statnews.com
NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy
NIH plans to shrink the share of grant applications it will award for the remainder of the fiscal year, in some cases by more than half.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
We are hearing a lot of rumblings about pocket rescissions — Russ Vought’s MAGA troops illegally stripping funding from your government — about to be deployed Aug 15. Hold onto your shorts, everyone. This is the big fight.
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
A quick update re NIH and NSF terminated grant tracking: Grant Watch has a new name! We're now called **Grant Witness** You can find us at grant-witness.us Please update your bookmarks and spread the word! 🙏 (And no, this wasn't our preference, but trademarks are a thing. 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️)
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Reposted by Amelia Cuarenta, PhD
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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