Gabrielle Masson

3 immunologists win Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovery of regulatory T cells The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to three pioneering immunologists for their work on regu | The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to three pion...

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is here and it's a doozy: the discovery of regulatory T cells! I woke up at 2am to write this story so if you see any typos, no you didn't:

HHS division refers Harvard for potential debarment as funding clash takes new form After Harvard University scored a recent legal victory ov | After Harvard University scored a recent legal victory over the Trump administration's “arbitrary and capricious" funding freeze orders, it ...

If the university is found in violation of civil rights laws, a "debarment" would prohibit the university from business relations with any federal agency for a specified timeframe. www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/hhs-...

'Alternative history' of the NIH shows how a 40% budget cut may thwart new medicines An “alternative history” has revealed the potential impacts a smaller National Institutes of Health would have had on past drug development—and the results

To understand how budget cuts could impact the NIH, economists looked to the past--and their alternate history revealed how Trump-level defunding would have undercut breakthrough new medicines of the 21st century 🧪 my story:

FDA greenlights Stealth Bio’s injection as 1st treatment for Barth syndrome After a tumultuous journey filled with delays and rejection, the FDA has approved Stealth BioTherapeutics’ treatment for the ultrarare disease Barth syndrome, marking the peptide as the first thera | ...

After a tumultuous journey filled with delays and rejection, the FDA has approved Stealth BioTherapeutics’ treatment for the ultrarare disease Barth syndrome, marking the peptide as the first therapy for the condition.

What we know about the financial impact of NIH cuts at a state level—and what it could mean for public health As the financial ramifications of federal research cuts come into focus, several organizations are warning of the looming threat to Americans’ health. | As the financial ramifications of federal resea...

NIH-sponsored research was the basis of all 356 new drug approvals between 2010 and 2019, according to a new AAMC report.

Here, I take a look at the states most impacted by NIH research cuts, plus the domino effects on clinical trials, the economy and public health.

Vaccines work. Period.

The problem with allowing guns everywhere is that no one is safe anywhere.

With 'breathtaking' $2B gift, Oregon’s Knight Cancer Institute tightens laces for race to the top What’s the best way to spend $2 billion? | What’s the best way to spend $2 billion? That’s the pleasant problem facing oncology legend Brian Druker, M.D., as he stewards what is thought to be the larg...

Had a blast visiting the Knight Cancer Institute in Portland to talk about their record-setting $2 billion gift from Nike founder Phil Knight, and how they plan to use the cash to become a household name in cancer research and care. Check it out, and enjoy the photo quality from my ancient iPhone!

Time to ‘stop tolerating women’s pain and suffering’: Melinda Gates-backed research initiative raises $100M U.S. | U.S. nonprofit Wellcome Leap is partnering with the Melinda French Gates-founded coalition Pivotal, raising $100 million to advance women’s health research in areas with the highest need.

Wellcome Leap and Melinda French Gates' Pivotal are investing $100 million in women's health breakthroughs for areas like cardiovascular, autoimmune and mental health.

Today, I was joined by organizations representing 100,000 doctors & medical experts.

They know — I know — that vaccines work, and have saved millions of lives.

We cannot allow Sec. Kennedy or anyone else to undermine faith in science and put the health of our children at risk.

Can anyone get a Covid shot if they want one? No Can anyone get a Covid shot if they want one? It's not that simple.

Can anyone get a Covid shot if they want one? The answer, in short, is no.
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/c...

We need an HHS Secretary who respects science and does not make policy based on conspiracy theories.

Vaccines are safe and effective.

Kennedy is threatening the health of our kids and all Americans.

He must resign.

The Trump administration has canceled the Biden era rule where airlines would have to compensate passengers for flight disruptions.

Judge Issues Ruling Helpful to Harvard in Case Against Trump Harvard had sued the Trump administration in an effort to restore billions in research funds that the government canceled this spring.

Breaking News: In a win for Harvard University, a judge said that the government broke the law by freezing billions of dollars in research funds.

Aiming to disrupt the cardiovascular space, 2 industry vets unveil Boston biotech with preventive RNAi asset Industry giants Clive Meanwell, M.D., and John Maraganore, Ph.D., have unveiled Corsera Health, a new biotech aiming to disrupt the cardiovascular landsc | Industry giants Clive Meanwell and John Mara...

Industry vets Clive Meanwell and John Maraganore have unveiled Corsera Health, a new biotech with a once-annual preventive heart disease candidate and AI risk-predicting tool.

“Imagine a world without cardiovascular disease. That's what we're aiming to do,” Maraganore told Fierce Biotech.

Kennedy to testify before Senate panel on health agenda Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear before the Senate Finance Committee next week to discuss President Donald Trump's healthcare agenda, the panel announced on Thursday.

Kennedy to testify before Senate panel on health agenda reut.rs/463NvL4

Praying for of all those affected by today’s horrific shooting in Minnesota, injuring and killing innocent young people who were simply starting their school year. We are all too accustomed to awful news like this, but must never accept such suffering and loss as normal.

Exelixis to lay off 130 employees, shut down Pennsylvania site in post-pandemic downsizing Mere months after its cancer blockbuster hopeful topped Bayer’s Stivarga in a phase 3 trial, Exelixis is conducting a reorganization that includes winding down the oncology company’s Pennsylvania s | ...

In June, Exelixis' stock soared on the back of a big phase 3 win over Bayer's gastrointestinal cancer med Stivarga. Now, the company is laying off 130 employees and closing down its Pennsylvania location. In biotech, life comes at you fast! My story:

HHS winds down pediatric brain tumor pact after 26 years, prioritizing other childhood cancer work The National Cancer Institute said it will stop funding a 26-year-old collaboration with academic centers to help accelerate new pediatric brain tumor treatments.

A 26-year-old collaboration between the government and top research centers to advance new pediatric brain cancer treatments is being wound down, an HHS spokesperson confirmed to @endpts.com. Money is being redirected to another childhood cancer funding channel. endpoints.news/hhs-winds-do...

Supreme Court greenlights $783M in NIH grant cuts tied to Trump's DEI crackdown The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to axe $783 million in federal research funding, reversing a lower court’s decision that required the National Institutes of Health to keep fu | ...

The Supreme Court vote greenlights the NIH's prior termination of grants related to DEI. However, the court did block Trump’s anti-DEI guidance for future funding.

On both matters, Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivered the key vote.

Fleeing Texas was the only way Democrats could block Trump’s plan to rig the midterms “The Republican members have outsourced our democracy to Mar-a-Lago”

“You’re saying to Texas voters: you don’t get to pick who represents you. Donald Trump picks who represents you.”

New statement from the NIH reads, in part: "This is not business as usual; it is a deliberate course correction to strengthen accountability and ensure NIH funds research that delivers measurable impact for all Americans."

HHS revives '90s task force designed to improve safety of childhood vaccines The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is re-launching a task force focused on the safety of childhood vaccines. | The Department of Health and Human Services is re-launching a task force f...

We are casually cruising toward destroying all public health protections. I can't tell you how many times my friends who work in pediatric healthcare see the sickest kids with vaccine-preventable illnesses and anti-vax parents. This is so upsetting. www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/hhs-r...

Generative AI models build new antibiotics starting from a single atom Researchers have tapped into the power of generative artificial intelligence to aid them in the fight against one of humanity’s most pernicious foes: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. | Researchers have ...

Deep learning models trained on 40,000 chemicals were able to design new antibiotics from scratch--including one that a model built starting from a single atom. My story:

Opinion | Jay Bhattacharya: Why the NIH is pivoting away from mRNA vaccines As a vaccine for broad public use, mRNA technology has failed to earn the public’s trust.

I cannot emphasize enough that the playbook being used against mRNA vaccines (and vaccines in general) is IDENTICAL to the playbook used to restrict voting rights after the 2020 election: actively sow public distrust, then cite the distrust you sowed as an independent reason for your desired policy

ARPA-H data chief departs over disagreement with mRNA vaccine rollback After the Department of Health and Human Services canceled about $500 million in funding for mR | After HHS abruptly canceled about $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine development, one senior age...

"This is the single most stupid thing they could be doing." After HHS pulled the plug on $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccines, one agency leader decided he's had enough. My story for Fierce:

Vaxart seeks answers as BARDA funding for stop-start vaccine project dries up again Vaxart is actively seeking more information about why it was told to stop work under a federally funded COVID-19 vaccine contract. | Vaxart is actively seeking more information about why it was told t...

HHS has delivered another stop-work order for Vaxart’s oral COVID-19 candidate, with a spokesperson citing the mRNA vaccine rollback.

Vaxart's program doesn't contain mRNA. The phase 2b trial is using Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine as a control.

Denali antibody clears amyloid plaques without dangerous brain bleeds in Alzheimer's mouse model Ever since Biogen and Eisai’s Aduhelm (aducanemab) was approved in 2021 as the first antibody to treat Alzheimer’s disease by clearing amyloid plaques from the brain, the modality has been dogged b | ...

Denali Therapeutics has unveiled an antibody that can cross the blood-brain barrier and attack amyloid associated with Alzheimer's, but without triggering ARIA, a potentially life-threatening complication. Coverage by @megadarren.bsky.social.

Biotech's contract terminated in HHS mRNA vaccine rollback doesn't involve mRNA or vaccines When Tiba Biotech was included in the cancelation of $500 million worth grants funding mRNA vaccine development, the company was shocked. | When Tiba Biotech was included in the cancelation of $500 mi...

Tiba Biotech's BARDA contract was terminated as part of RFK Jr.'s campaign / vendetta / grudge match against mRNA vaccines. Except Tiba wasn't working on mRNA, or a vaccine. Odd!

Illustration of a woman standing in a lit doorway, casting a long shadow down a dark hallway. Text on the image reads: 'Restricting access to safe abortion drives women and girls to unsafe procedures.'

Access to safe abortion protects the health of women and girls.

As with all other health services, women and girls should be able to access safe and respectful abortion care, when they need it, without fear of harm, punishment or recrimination.

#HealthForAll