Beth Shaaban

I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

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This moment from our latest episode with science writer @edyong209.bsky.social is 🔥

We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪

Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇

open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...

One of the important consequences of early detection of cancer...

(From this past weekend, 11 years and 3 months after her breast cancer detection)

Can Fighting Racism Help Prevent Alzheimer’s? Scientists Think So Black Americans face a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias than white Americans. Researchers are working to find out why that is and how to intervene

If adequate attention isn’t paid to diverse populations, communities that already experience disproportionate rates of dementia will be uninformed about their increased risk, how to lower it and how to access diagnoses and care.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...

Check out this great article from @sciam.bsky.social on racial disparities in Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers should include historically minoritized communities in studies of these new frontiers in dementia diagnosis and treatment, says epidemiologist Beth Shaaban of the University of Pittsburgh.

a man with his eyes closed is wearing a plaid shirt and a blue jacket . ALT: a man with his eyes closed is wearing a plaid shirt and a blue jacket .

So... I did some analysis of grants that did receive noncompetitive renewals.

In particular, I looked a those award where the title of the grant changed.

Warning: The results are just what I expected, but oooph...

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My resignation letter from CDC. Dear Dr. Houry, I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business. I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested. This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough. While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people. This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles.

The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people. The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership. This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors. Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people. It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC. The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense. Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function. Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC.

Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc. I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again. I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season. Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.” We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary. I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources. At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him. To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information. The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer. I believe in nutrition and exercise. I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability. Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun.

The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud. I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur. I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed. For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics. I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision. Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically. Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution. If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States.

Full resignation letter from Demetre C. Daskalakis, a CDC leader, does not hold back.
"The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud."

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Call for Papers: Waking Up to the Importance of Sleep in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

✦ Mechanisms of circadian disruption
✦ Digital sleep biomarkers and more
#ALZResearch

⏰Deadline: Oct. 31, 2025

alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/...

Alzheimer's & Dementia

Call For Papers! Alzheimer's & Dementia Special Issue: Neuromodulatory Subcortical Systems in Alzheimer's Disease

Research on the intersection of the Neuromodulatory Subcortical Systems and AD are welcome! #AlzResearch
⏰Deadline: Aug. 30, 2025

alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/...

Emergency Department (ED) staff: screen ALL patients over 65 for delirium.

Emergency departments are where it's most missed and most dangerous.

Make it as routine as checking blood pressure.

NIH director orders new review of grants in outline of top research priorities Many topics on Bhattacharya’s list are familiar, but order to re-evaluate grants draws concerns

Here is the Science story on the "priorities" memo...

www.science.org/content/arti...

Experts condemn NIH director’s defense of cut to vaccine research Critics say Jay Bhattacharya’s comments on so-called failure of mRNA vaccines to ‘earn public trust’ are ‘astounding’

New Guardian article about the Bhattacharya op-ed

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

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This is a great annotated thread of the new EO to help understand what it is attempting to do.

www.einpresswire.com/article/8380...

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

One more effort to politicize federal grantmaking.
*Grants must by approved by a political appointee, working with OMB.
*"Discretionary awards must, where applicable, demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities."
*Cannot "promote anti-American values"
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

Well, this is a huge Executive Order power grab...

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

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Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Bills | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations United States Senate Committee on Appropriations

Thanks @murray.senate.gov and the Appropriations committee for the bipartisan bill that rejects the draconian cuts to NIH science and restricts the harmful multiyear funding scheme!

www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minorit...

🏆 Donna M. Wilcock, Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2025 Bill Thies Award for Distinguished Service to ISTAART.

This award recognizes an @istaart.bsky.social member who has provided continued and outstanding service to the ISTAART community.

@wilcocklab.bsky.social @iusm-medneuro.bsky.social

Make sure to check out these poster presentations featuring @naccdata.org authors today at #AAIC2025!

Check out the great research posters being presented by #NIAfundedADRC REC Scholars today at #AAIC2025!

Learn more about the Research, Education, Component (REC): naccdata.org/adrc-resourc...

@mariacarrilloalz.bsky.social shares exciting #AAIC25 attendee stats:
🔬 Nearly 8,200 are in Toronto & 3,200+ are online
🔬48% of in-person attendees & 61% of virtual attendees are women
🔬 23% are under age 35
🔬 More than 22% are first-time attendees
🔬More than 70% are @istaart.bsky.social members

This is fun. Watching your first ever mentor in science give the plenary at AAIC. I was Katerina’s first technician, helping out with her 2002 mouse studies shown on this slide. Haven’t met a more tenacious scientist since. To see a single hypothesis all the way through to clinical trials is amazing

Takeaways from U.S. POINTER top line results:
➡️ Both a structured & a self-guided intervention improved cognition, with the structured group improving even more.
➡️ Cognitive benefits were consistent across age, sex, ethnicity, heart health status and APOE e4 genotype.
bit.ly/USPointerRel... #AAIC25

#PopNeurosciCollab at #AAIC25!

*Epi PhD student Daniel Willie-Permor presenting his talk: Social, Physical, and Cognitive Activity Patterns and Their Association with Tau and Amyloid Resistance and Resilience

#PopNeurosciCollab at #AAIC25!

*A fun meeting w/ @leadcoalition.bsky.social
*Mtg new folks interested in joining the Diversity and Disparities PIA while tabling @ PIA Day
*Daniel Willie-Permor (Aβ/tau resistance/resilience) & Ale Ramirez-Tirado (peripheral & central inflammation) posters @ AIC

A&D Journal Events at #AAIC25- Monday July 28
☑️ Meet the Editors- #BSEA Editor Jennifer Lingler @jlingler.bsky.social (10:30am)
☑️ Meet the Editors- #TRCI Editor Tim Hohman (12:30pm)
📍@alzassociation.bsky.social booth
☑️ Peer Review Workshop with Editors of A&D Journals (12:30pm)
📍 Room 603

For #AAIC2025 attendees: #ADRD researcher starter pack! Thanks @tyk314.net for promoting me to share this again

go.bsky.app/22DpUEy

🏆 Mary Sano, Ph.D., is the recipient of the Bengt Winblad Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Sano is a neuropsychologist by training and an award-winning clinical trialist, focusing on cognitive impairment in aging, Alzheimer’s and related dementias. #AAIC25

🧠 TIME-AD is now on Bluesky!

#TIME-AD brings together results from different study designs and populations to find what really works to prevent and delay dementia.

Follow along as we share what we’re learning and check out our website to learn more: www.time-ad.org

#EndALZ #EpiSky #NeuroSky

Cadres — STAND UP FOR SCIENCE

Joined the Advisory Board of @standupforscience.bsky.social alongside Viktor Ambros, @jeremymberg.bsky.social, Carol Greider, @michaelemann.bsky.social, & @katestarbird.bsky.social. Impressed with @cdelawalla.bsky.social and the entire Stand Up for Science team!
www.standupforscience.net/cadres.