Monique Smith

In light of today’s news about the National Cancer Institute announcing a 4% payline, it’s really important to communicate to people that the previous 10% payline was still effectively a lottery and the result of decades of underfunding the NIH. Paylines used to be 25%.

For MAGA, Ignorance is Strength Research cuts aren’t about shrinking government, they’re about killing science

"two first-rate economists, David Cutler and Ed Glaeser, have made a stab at estimating the impact of cuts at NIH. Their analysis suggests that these cuts might save $500 billion in federal spending over the next 25 years — while imposing more than $8 trillion in losses."

Grant terminations have grabbed the headlines and have seen legal action, but even more damaging to the US research enterprise has been the massive decrease in number of research grants issued by federal agencies

NIH has seen a decrease of 57% in the number of awards & 63% in value compared to FY24

🚨 NOA! CONGRATS to Smith Lab MD/PhD student Amanda Nguyen for this huge accomplishment on her FIRST TRY! (5th percentile!!!). This is VERY good news. The first in awhile- and we have been fearing the worst. Thanks #NIH #NIMH

Y'all, this past week for science funding lawsuits has been 🔥🔥🔥

✅ Major recent wins regarding:

1. U of California researchers
2. NSF indirects
3. NIH terminations
4. EPA terminations

Plus:

5. Brand new NSF lawsuit (about terminations & slowdown of new awards)

🧵 Let's break it down

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

Important update about local impacts of funding cuts.

Depressing but compelling...

Thanks to @joshuasweitz.bsky.social and his team for putting this together.

scienceimpacts.org

Cancers can be detected in bloodstream three years prior to diagnosis Detection of cancer before a clinical diagnosis could give patients and caregivers more time for intervention and may lead to better outcomes because tumors are more likely to be curable

Genetic material shed by tumors can be detected in the bloodstream three years before cancer diagnosis, according to a study led by investigators at Johns Hopkins University.

That study was made possible with federal funding. Now, many studies like this are canceled. hub.jhu.edu/2025/06/04/...

NIH scientists call on director to protect biomedical research In a public letter, hundreds of scientists expressed their dissent to the Trump administration's policies affecting the National Institutes of Health and called on its director to support the agency.

All Things Considered story on #BethesdaDeclaration

www.npr.org/sections/sho...

A herring is a fish.

When a herring is preserved by salting and smoking, it turns red and smells.

It's so pungent that it's a great diversion to distract hunting dogs from their trail.

Now, a ‘red herring’ refers to anything that diverts attention from the issue at hand.

We set out to quantify U.S. academic contributions to medicines. The results stunned even us From 2020 to 2024, universities contributed patents underpinning 50% of FDA-approved drugs. 87% of those academic breakthroughs came from American institutions.

Universities power U.S. pharmaceutical innovation: from 2020-2024, patents from academic research underpinned 50% of FDA-approved drugs, and 87% of those came from American institutions. Investment in academic science is key to future breakthroughs. www.statnews.com/2025/06/06/u...

This is figure 1, which shows the yawning android and then a series of images of the chimpanzees yawning.

Chimpanzees can ‘catch’ yawns from an android imitating human facial expressions, according to research in Scientific Reports. The study shows that chimpanzees will both yawn and lie down, suggesting that it may act as a cue to rest. go.nature.com/3T9Zy37 🧪

Neuroscience needs to empower early-career researchers, not fund moon shots Large-scale projects run the risk of stifling scientific independence. Instead, let’s explore alternative mechanisms of collaboration.

Large-scale projects run the risk of stifling scientific independence. Instead, let’s explore alternative mechanisms of collaboration, writes @neuralreckoning.bsky.social.

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...

Nobel laureate: I owe America my success. Today, its scientific future is in danger | CNN Dr. Ardem Patapoutian says he watches “with deep sadness as the United States’ remarkable scientific enterprise, which took generations of hard work and national investment to build, faces a concerted...

Great article by @nobelprize.bsky.social laureate @ardemp.bskyverified.social outlining the health, economic and national security benefits of US biomedical research, and the devastation of government efforts to destroy our leading edge.

www.cnn.com/2025/04/09/h...

"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."

#LarryJYoungSymposium What a beautiful tribute to an incredible person and scientist today at Emory. I am honored to have spoken. The community and scientific legacy Larry created is so inspiring. @annezmurphy.bsky.social

Because we must build good things while we scream about the bad, I have started a "Data for Good" team @data-for-good-team.bsky.social that partners with organizations needing short-term data science help. We have three projects ongoing & will add more as our capacity grows.
data-for-good-team.org

A short thread on slow grant making by state.

Bottom line: Really punishing those "woke" IDeA states

1/n

Psyched & honored to deliver 1st keynote on this virtual free event on the neurobiology of empathy organized by NAS USA tinyurl.com/empNAS join me & stellar speakers e.g. @moeneuro.bsky.social @valeriagazzola.bsky.social @stevewcchang.bsky.social @torwager.bsky.social @thepsychologist.bsky.social

No-cost extensions of NIH grants are no longer automatically approved The no-cost extension (NCE) allows the recipient of a NIH grant to continue to spend on the project after the original award interval has expired. This NIH website explains the way NCE used to work…

No-cost extensions of NIH grants are no longer automatically approved drugmonkey.wordpress.com/2025/05/09/n...

This is ridiculous imo

In the wake of my own disappointing grant news this is what I needed. They are what matters!

I am SO INCREDIBLY PROUD of my students!!! Nikki Keisler was given an honorable mention on her #NSF #GRFP (in such a competitive yr!!) & Amanda Nguyen just got her score in the 5th percentile for her #NIH #F30 !!! With me as a NewPI! 😍🥳#UCSDNGP

If you care about the NSF and science, now is the time to make your voice heard!

The evolution tri-societies are running a Week of Action for NSF! We MUST make some noise -join us!!

@sse-evolution.bsky.social members will see the below email in their inbox today, spread the word!

Pls RT!

🧠💰K99/R00 NoA day!

Huge congrats to Dr Blake Kimmey … #GameOn 🔥🍾🙌🏼

Gonna brag on this guy and say he’s on job market this year and he can bring this kinda cutting-edge placebo / pain / addiction systems-circuit neuro research to your department: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39803541/

Omg wow! That’s amazing!

Members of the Ekalakala community resting and socializing on a fallen tree Credit: Martin Surbeck, Kokolopori Bonobo Research Project

Female bonobos form coalitions against males to secure their social status and reduce sex differences in power, according to a paper in Communications Biology. The study suggests the impact of male aggression is mitigated by females grouping together. go.nature.com/4d60a3f 🧪

I will fly to anywhere in the United States on my own dime to talk to people about basic science! I encourage all of you, particularly senior scientists to make this commitment. If you are looking for material ask @karalmarshall.bsky.social She has put together an amazing basic talk!

Comment Template COMMENT SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: All submissions must include the agency name and docket number or RIN for this rulemaking. Please arrange and identify your comments on the regulatory text by subpart and section number; if your comments relate to the supplementary information, please refer to the heading and page number. All comments received will be posted publicly without change, including any personal information provided. To ensure that your comments will be considered, you must submit them on or prior to May 23, 2025 at online to the Federal Register. Before finalizing this rule, OPM will consider all comments within the scope of the regulations received on or before the closing date for comments. OPM may make changes to the final rule after considering the comments received. COMMENT STARTER: The example below is meant to get you started with your own comment. Feel free to use it with only minimal changes, to go a different direction, or anything in between. Because OPM has to consider each comment, unique comments add value to the process but all comments relevant to the proposed rule and grounded in thoughtful analysis or real experience are helpful. [DATE] RE: Public Comment in Response to Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service [Docket No. OPM–2025–0004] I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the effort to reclassify specific fe

All right, scientists. 🧪

The Trump administration is trying to break scientific expertise in the civil service. This will affect #NIH program staff. Red 🚨.

It's your job to submit comments by 5/23 saying that's a terrible idea!

This group has info: www.friendsofbls.org/comment-temp...