Carolyn Johnson

Trump administration halts, then releases, NIH research funding The decision temporarily froze $15 billion in federal funding, according to one senator. It came as Trump officials wrestle over federal spending levels.

“Our grants people are barely holding it together because they are at the center of this chaos.” www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Trump officials halt ‘dangerous’ research, overriding NIH career scientists The Trump administration’s actions on NIH gain-of-function research have raised concerns among scientists, who argue the move could block experiments that are safe and potentially lead to new treatmen...

New & scoopy: Documents obtained by WaPo show political appointee overruled NIH career experts after Trump-mandated biosafety review @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @hannahnatanson.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...

NIH official fired amid probe of contract used to potentially hire spouse, officials say NIH chief operating officer Eric Schnabel was fired as officials were looking into whether a $3.3 million contract could have benefited his spouse.

A senior NIH leader hired by the Trump admin was fired Monday amid an investigation into a sole-source contract on autism and other topics that could have benefited his spouse.

An exclusive led by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social wapo.st/4nMhcs5

NIH leader fired amid probe of contract used in attempt to hire spouse, officials say NIH chief operating officer Eric Schnabel was fired as officials were looking into whether a $3.3 million contract could have benefited his spouse.

NIH has fired its new chief operating officer — who had been helping lead Trump-era crackdowns on NIH workers — amid a probe into whether he tried to steer a contract to get his wife a job.

with @hannahnatanson.bsky.social @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social (and me pitching in from paternity leave)

Trump administration is preparing to test budget law, U.S. officials say Internal dissent among federal employees is coming to the surface as President Donald Trump’s budget chief aims to rebalance spending authority.

The Trump administration is preparing to test a 1974 budget law by refusing to spend congressionally mandated funds, senior federal officials say — an escalation that could change the balance of power between Congress and the White House.

The Washington Post has many corporate issues (starting with their owner). But the reporters I have worked with their including Carolyn Johnson have been working very hard to report accurately and compellingly what is happening at NIH and elsewhere.

1/n

Thanks to our brave patients for speaking up when they are going through such unimaginable circumstances

His custom cancer therapy is in an NIH freezer. He may not get it in time. The purge of probationary federal workers included skilled lab personnel who would have finalized a customized cell immunotherapy for cancer patients.

NIH cuts have life and death consequences.

How a cancer patient became collateral damage to Trump’s purge of the federal workforce, @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social reports wapo.st/44ntbo4

His custom cancer therapy is in an NIH freezer. He may not get it in time. The purge of probationary federal workers included skilled lab personnel who would have finalized a customized cell immunotherapy for cancer patients.

Richard Schlueter is 56, with stage 4 metastatic cancer. Through a clinical trial, NIH created a personalized immunotherapy. It's in a freezer.

But the technician who prepares cells for infusion was fired in the probationary purge, delaying his treatment.
wapo.st/44ntbo4

Celebrated, then disparaged: mRNA’s promise is tarnished under Trump The promise of mRNA technology seemed boundless after the success of the coronavirus vaccines, but Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has singled it out for scrutiny, clouding its prospects.

mRNA technology was once the toast of the scientific world, credited for saving millions of lives and hailed by Trump as a “modern-day” miracle.

Now it’s under threat www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

RFK Jr will pick his own experts to advise the CDC on vaccine policy

NIH scientists have been angry for months. Now some are rebelling. More than 90 NIH scientists sign their names to the “Bethesda declaration” in protest of Trump administration policies they say are harming people’s health.

"We are pressured to implement harmful measures” -- NIH scientists have been angry for months. Now some are taking their concerns public. wapo.st/3Znv3KM

In case you needed a smile this Tuesday: 10-month-old baby KJ, who received a bespoke gene-editing therapy after a six month scientific sprint - "graduated" from the hospital @childrensphila.bsky.social today and went HOME!

YAY SCIENCE!

Here's his story: wapo.st/451ZQjT

Why Trump’s push for ‘gold-standard science’ has researchers alarmed Many scientists fear the Trump administration’s new standard means putting political appointees in charge, which could undercut independent research.

"Gold standard science" is becoming a ubiquitous Trump administration catchphrase. Many scientists say the administration is flipping the script -- using the language of improving science to damage it. @briannosek.bsky.social @elisabethbik.bsky.social

Gift link:
wapo.st/43VGY52

Why Trump’s push for ‘gold-standard science’ has researchers alarmed Many scientists fear the Trump administration’s new standard means putting political appointees in charge, which could undercut independent research.

A pledge to restore “gold-standard science” accompanies much of Trump’s health policies challenging mainstream science.

Many scientists say the opposite is happening, @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social reports www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...

A rare disorder threatened baby KJ. Could a race to edit his genes save him? A rare disorder threatened baby KJ. Could a sprint to edit his genes using CRISPR save him?

Amazing story by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social about remarkable work by my colleagues at @pennmedicine.bsky.social & @childrensphila.bsky.social.

Brought to you by decades of investment in science.

wapo.st/3GTNbFy

Amid DOGE-induced turmoil, National Science Foundation in crisis The $9 billion agency, which exists solely to fund researchers, projects and facilities outside its Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters, is hitting reverse on its mission.

Amid DOGE-induced turmoil, National Science Foundation in crisis: $9 billion agency, which funds researchers, projects and facilities, is hitting reverse on its mission, by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @joelachenbach.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025... via @washingtonpost.com

A tiny tribe wanted to shape the future of a famed canyon. Ancient DNA helped. The Picuris Pueblo tribal nation initiated a genetic study that confirms their connection to Chaco Canyon -- a potential model for Indigenous people to partner with scientists.

Cool story by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social on DNA study of Picuris Pueblo done at their requst. Remains at Chaco Canyon, 125 mi west, connect to modern & ancient Picuri DNA www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025... Underlying piece in Nature www.nature.com/articles/s41...
I love the working together.

Amid DOGE-induced turmoil, National Science Foundation in crisis The $9 billion agency, which exists solely to fund researchers, projects and facilities outside its Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters, is hitting reverse on its mission.

As far as science agencies, the National Science Foundation stands out - it exists **to fund research**
DOGE arrived, and it hit reverse on its main mission. @joelachenbach.bsky.social wapo.st/3GBQ5Pa

A tiny tribe wanted to shape the future of a famed canyon. Ancient DNA helped. The Picuris Pueblo tribal nation initiated a genetic study that confirms their connection to Chaco Canyon -- a potential model for Indigenous people to partner with scientists.

A tiny tribe wanted to shape the future of a famed canyon. Ancient DNA helped. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...

DOGE begins to freeze health-care payments for extra review DOGE is putting new curbs on billions of dollars in federal grants, requiring officials to manually review and approve payments that were previously routine.

DOGE has abruptly imposed new “defend the spend” rules before paying out federal health-care grants

It’s forcing manual reviews of thousands of routine transactions

Some organizations still waiting for $$ they expected days ago

Scoop with @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @hannahnatanson.bsky.social

Internal budget document reveals extent of Trump’s proposed health cuts HHS would be asked to absorb a $40 billion cut, about one third of its discretionary budget.

SCOOP: Internal budget doc reveals extent of Trump’s proposed health cuts. About 1/3 of HHS discretionary budget. Our story w @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social @joelachenbach.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Women, minorities fired in purge of NIH science review boards Scientists, with expertise in fields that include mental health, cancer and infectious disease, typically serve five-year terms and were not given a reason for their dismissal.

Women, minorities fired in purge of NIH science review boards

Gift link: wapo.st/4jtCPdw

DOGE takes over federal grants website, wresting control of billions A DOGE engineer removed users’ access to grants.gov, threatening to further slow the process of awarding thousands of federal grants per year.

Scoop: DOGE now controls how grant opportunities get posted across government.

DOGE engineer removed users’ permissions to post to Grants-dot-gov without telling them. Now requests flow thru DOGE-controlled mailbox.

with @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social + @hannahnatanson.bsky.social

“Many of my colleagues felt like the early grant terminations were just happening on particular topics, and they described it as being cuts just ‘around the edges,’ but those edges are my entire career, and are entire fields of study" @britshmit.bsky.social wapo.st/3G5Jo7S @susansvrluga.bsky.social

This is a gift link.

NIH cuts that hit a breakthrough in cancer treatment for a refractory, metastatic GI cancer
Front page @washingtonpost.com
Gift link wapo.st/4j8Hwd1 @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social
@naturemedicine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

NIH scientists have a cancer breakthrough. Layoffs are delaying it. A big step forward in cancer therapy has been slowed by layoffs and new restrictions at the National Institutes of Health, where it was developed.

Last week, NIH cancer immunotherapy pioneer Steven Rosenberg published a promising study in colon and other GI cancers.

New treatments are now starting to be delayed, due to layoffs. "These are not patients that have very many months left.”

Gift link: wapo.st/4j8Hwd1

FDA is looking for some laid-off employees to temporarily keep working Thousands of FDA staffers were laid off Tuesday.

FDA laid off thousands of workers this week - and now they're looking for people willing to come back for 2 months - great scoop by @rachelroubein.bsky.social wapo.st/4jlgsaj

Hi Jon - I'm a science reporter from the Washington Post. Would you be able to provide any additional info - DMs, or carolyn.johnson@washpost.com