Chrystal Starbird

Nods in FLman….

These are some of the scientists supported by the mosaic grants in the described amicus brief. Thank you to ASM, FASEB and ASCB in joining ASBMB in supporting us. asm.org/press-releas...

Very true. Clearly I’m asking the wrong people.

Leading Scientific Societies File Amicus Brief With U.S. Supreme Court in Support of NIH Grant Recipients Washington, DC – August 4, 2025 – On Friday, August 1, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) jointly filed an expanded amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States in American Public Health Association v. NIH. As some of the nation’s largest and most respected scientific societies, the amici submit this brief to emphasize the urgent need to safeguard federal research investments, protect early-career scientists, and uphold the integrity of the nation’s science ecosystem. The four leading life science organizations originally filed an amicus brief in the case on May 2, urging the court to find recent executive actions that led to the termination of NIH grants supporting early-career scientists—such as the Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program—unlawful and to compel NIH to restore funding swiftly. MOSAIC grants support scientists from a wide range of backgrounds in transitioning to research careers. Today’s updated filing focuses specifically on the immediate and irreparable harm caused by the grant terminations and asks the Court to deny the government’s request for a stay pending approval. The updated brief includes new evidence and perspectives drawn from peer-reviewed articles and commentary published in recent months, which underscore the devastating consequences these grant cancellations have already had across the scientific community. Together, ASBMB, ASCB, ASM, and FASEB represent more than 150,000 biological and biomedical researchers whose work drives innovation, improves public health, and fuels the U.S. economy. Their members have long supported and participated in programs like MOSAIC, w…

While many institutions are capitulating to Trump, my favorite scientific societies are fighting back. Aug 1 @ascbiology.bsky.social, @asm.org, @asbmb.bsky.social, & @faseborg.bsky.social jointly filed an expanded amicus brief with the Supreme Court in American Public Health Association v. NIH 1/n

I had goat cheese stuffed figs wrapped in and cooked in crispy prosciutto with spicy honey drizzle last week and it was so good. Just saying 😁

I complained to my youngest that he’s always in his room lately (entering the teen years). He said he leaves so I don’t get addicted 😐😂

This kid.

Keep an eye out for this rising star on the faculty job market. Elizabeth is truly remarkable. Her resilience and determination continue to inspire me, especially in the face of setbacks during these times. #proudMOSAICcoach

When someone in your lab sends an email that just says “Look” and it’s super exciting data! 🤩

Healey unveils $400 million plan to bolster research under fire from Trump - The Boston Globe Amid cuts from the federal government, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey filed a bill to inject $400 million into research and development projects.

In good news, the Massachusetts governor is proposing a $400 Million investment in research to offset some of the Trump cuts.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/31/m...

Extra kudos and thanks to all the staff at NIH and NSF and other federal funding agencies for working extra hard in very small windows of opportunity to get grants reviewed and funds released before the attention-addled federal policies change again (on an hourly basis).

My own lab will close eventually if we don’t get new grants, which is why I’ve shifted a lot of my time to writing papers and grants, like many of my colleagues. Because I truly care about mentoring, this has meant I’ve been working much harder and I’m definitely not the only one.

I talked to someone just this week who knows several people leaving to go abroad. This isn’t possible or desirable for everyone. Is the US as a whole really just going to watch our investment in science, which has funded 98% of current medicines actively helping people, just shrivel up?

I’m so lucky to have grants from funders who do strongly want to support science, but as a whole, many are retracting rather than increasing their funding in science. This truly makes no sense to me because science is worth the investment and early career scientists are the future.

Despite the fact that I try to advocate for people in tough situations (often using my own experience to amplify), I’m generally positive in my outlook.

But someone please tell me how (new) PIs shouldn’t be scared about what’s ahead? Where are the solutions, the funders who believe in science?

For NCI, that appears to be (at least largely) the case.

I received 2 scores under 4% over the course of my career (out of ~30 applications and ~15 funded awards). I largely stopped submitting applications in 2003 when I moved to NIH.

If this all sounds like a calculated plan to reduce the size of the federally funding biomedical research enterprise, I believe that is exactly what is it.

The notion that this "facilitates efficient management" of grants and the appropriation is, to use an official NIH term, horseshit.

/fin

A major NIH grant to study ways to restore hearing was terminated by the Trump administration bc it was awarded through a DEI initiative—to a researcher who qualified bc of his own hearing loss www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/h... @manorlaboratory.bsky.social

I first fell in ❤️ with neuroscience at Mount Holyoke...apply now to inspire the next generation of women neuroscientists! 🧠

We get inside and the couple is there. We talk for a while again and they mention their kids got them a convertible for their 50th wedding anniversary. I was like does it look like this and showed the picture. Sure enough! 😍

Happy Anniversary!

About 2 hours later we drove about 10 miles away and ended up at a random grill for lunch. I took a picture of this car because I loved the sign.

Hiking story time: We took a break after the St. Mary Lake trail (that is not my version of “easy” 💀😂) and ended up talking to this older couple for a while. A Japanese professor named Content and her husband, a retired cop. Great energy!

Amazing day hiking and exploring! (Back to work tomorrow 😁)

lol, we have some nice views but not like this 😁. I’m giving a talk in Salt Lake City, so we went to Antelope Island State park to look at stars 🤩

Words are insufficient

The hike back up to this dark sky viewing spot is definitely going to be worth it!

Thanks! Definitely enjoying it so far!

WOW!

Arrived in Salt Lake City and got a good view of why it’s called such on the way in 😁

Excited to visit University of Utah!

MOSAIC scholars who had grants unjustly terminated that are now being reinstated, are likely to have them terminated again. The whiplash is unnerving and the career implications are starting to look bleak.

Where is the support of these and other early career scholars whose funding has been cut?