Mark Peifer (He, him)
@peiferlabunc.bsky.social
Cell adhesion, cytoskeletal regulation, Wnt signaling & wherever science leads us + wildflowers & my own idiosyncratic views. First gen college grad
Diversity, equity & Inclusion are core American Values
https://peiferlab.web.unc.edu
Diversity, equity & Inclusion are core American Values
https://peiferlab.web.unc.edu
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
#Minneapolis Personal Me: This is so much b.s. This AM, neighbors on my friend’s block foiled a kidnapping despite being assaulted and gassed. A school bus driver had to block the door to keep them from entering the bus while they were at it. 4 legal observers were kidnapped near us yesterday. 😡
Homan in Minneapolis: "Effective immediately, we will draw down 700 people effective today."
February 4, 2026 at 4:23 PM
#Minneapolis Personal Me: This is so much b.s. This AM, neighbors on my friend’s block foiled a kidnapping despite being assaulted and gassed. A school bus driver had to block the door to keep them from entering the bus while they were at it. 4 legal observers were kidnapped near us yesterday. 😡
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
This is civic action.
Surprise, Arizona. Pop. 167,000. Huge crowd shows up to the City Council meeting to oppose DHS recent purchase of ginormous warehouse. Meeting + overflow room filled and hundreds more gathered outside.
130 people sign up to speak. 128 opposed to ICE warehouse.
Surprise, Arizona. Pop. 167,000. Huge crowd shows up to the City Council meeting to oppose DHS recent purchase of ginormous warehouse. Meeting + overflow room filled and hundreds more gathered outside.
130 people sign up to speak. 128 opposed to ICE warehouse.
The overflow room at the Surprise City Council meeting has also filled up (it has a 500 person capacity). I can’t tell how many are still outside but we can hear them chanting “ICE out” in here so it seems like quite a lot.
February 4, 2026 at 1:27 PM
This is civic action.
Surprise, Arizona. Pop. 167,000. Huge crowd shows up to the City Council meeting to oppose DHS recent purchase of ginormous warehouse. Meeting + overflow room filled and hundreds more gathered outside.
130 people sign up to speak. 128 opposed to ICE warehouse.
Surprise, Arizona. Pop. 167,000. Huge crowd shows up to the City Council meeting to oppose DHS recent purchase of ginormous warehouse. Meeting + overflow room filled and hundreds more gathered outside.
130 people sign up to speak. 128 opposed to ICE warehouse.
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
NEW: @telliotter.bsky.social got an inside look at an online forum where ICE and CBP agents often post about how the agencies have changed for the worse. “[T]his agency has managed to turn a righteous mission into a complete clown show,” one longtime user wrote. Scoop: www.wired.com/story/inside...
Inside the ICE Forum Where Agents Complain About Their Jobs
“I'm all for removing illegals, but snatching dudes off lawn mowers in Cali and leaving the truck and equipment just sitting there? Definitely not working smarter,” writes one forum user.
www.wired.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:05 PM
NEW: @telliotter.bsky.social got an inside look at an online forum where ICE and CBP agents often post about how the agencies have changed for the worse. “[T]his agency has managed to turn a righteous mission into a complete clown show,” one longtime user wrote. Scoop: www.wired.com/story/inside...
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Immigrants are twice as likely to start a small business as native-born US citizens, so this move isn't about supporting businesses or the economy.
SBA says legal permanent residents will be ineligible for its loan program, effective March 1
The Small Business Administration said in a policy note that green card holders won’t be allowed to apply for SBA loans, effective March 1.
apnews.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Immigrants are twice as likely to start a small business as native-born US citizens, so this move isn't about supporting businesses or the economy.
Clearly he thinks mentioning several relevant parts of the US Constitution is inflammatory....
Homan: "I said back in March of this year [sic] that if the hateful rhetoric didn't stop I was afraid there would be bloodshed. And there has been."
February 4, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Clearly he thinks mentioning several relevant parts of the US Constitution is inflammatory....
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Homan: "I said back in March of this year [sic] that if the hateful rhetoric didn't stop I was afraid there would be bloodshed. And there has been."
February 4, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Homan: "I said back in March of this year [sic] that if the hateful rhetoric didn't stop I was afraid there would be bloodshed. And there has been."
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Alex Pretti wasn't killed by rhetoric, he was killed by two masked CBP agents shooting him 10 times in the back after they had disarmed and pepper sprayed him.
Rhetoric didn't kill Renee Good either, a thug from ICE did that with a gun as she tried to avoid hurting him.
Rhetoric didn't kill Renee Good either, a thug from ICE did that with a gun as she tried to avoid hurting him.
Homan: "I said back in March of this year [sic] that if the hateful rhetoric didn't stop I was afraid there would be bloodshed. And there has been."
February 4, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Alex Pretti wasn't killed by rhetoric, he was killed by two masked CBP agents shooting him 10 times in the back after they had disarmed and pepper sprayed him.
Rhetoric didn't kill Renee Good either, a thug from ICE did that with a gun as she tried to avoid hurting him.
Rhetoric didn't kill Renee Good either, a thug from ICE did that with a gun as she tried to avoid hurting him.
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Remarkable: Trump's planned migrant prison camps are hitting deep resistance in red areas. In Virginia's partly rural Hanover (+26 Trump) opposition is intense. GOP leaders in other states are opposed.
Voters are rejecting mass deportations big time. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2060...
Voters are rejecting mass deportations big time. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2060...
Trump’s New “Prison Camp” Threat Unleashes Fury Even in MAGA Country
The next phase of ICE’s big ramp-up: a nationwide network of vast detention facilities. But guess what? Even parts of Red America are saying no.
newrepublic.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Remarkable: Trump's planned migrant prison camps are hitting deep resistance in red areas. In Virginia's partly rural Hanover (+26 Trump) opposition is intense. GOP leaders in other states are opposed.
Voters are rejecting mass deportations big time. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2060...
Voters are rejecting mass deportations big time. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2060...
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Up now on @indyweek.bsky.social, an excerpt from this essential new @uncpress.bsky.social release. It tells the story of Wyatt Outlaw - a voting rights crusader and Graham’s first Black elected official. He was lynched in 1870. There are no public markers for his life yet, but now there’s a book.
Welcome to Alamance County, North Carolina
An excerpt from "The Legend of Wyatt Outlaw: From Reconstruction through Black Lives Matter" by Sylvester Allen Jr. and Belle Boggs.
indyweek.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Up now on @indyweek.bsky.social, an excerpt from this essential new @uncpress.bsky.social release. It tells the story of Wyatt Outlaw - a voting rights crusader and Graham’s first Black elected official. He was lynched in 1870. There are no public markers for his life yet, but now there’s a book.
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
BREAKING: @ajc.com on Tuesday evening said it will lay off approximately 50 staffers, about 15% of its headcount, as it seeks to cut costs and marshal resources to invest in its growth.
The AJC published its last print edition on 12/31. About half of those laid off will come from the newsroom.
The AJC published its last print edition on 12/31. About half of those laid off will come from the newsroom.
The AJC to cut staff as it continues digital transformation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Tuesday it will lay off staffers in the newsroom and other segments of the business.
www.ajc.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:16 AM
BREAKING: @ajc.com on Tuesday evening said it will lay off approximately 50 staffers, about 15% of its headcount, as it seeks to cut costs and marshal resources to invest in its growth.
The AJC published its last print edition on 12/31. About half of those laid off will come from the newsroom.
The AJC published its last print edition on 12/31. About half of those laid off will come from the newsroom.
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
So while yes, there are some advantages for remote study section participation, most reviewers continue to feel in person meetings are superior. NIH has been minimizing in-person for years, yes predating COVID, basically over the objections of the peer reviewers.
February 4, 2026 at 4:19 PM
So while yes, there are some advantages for remote study section participation, most reviewers continue to feel in person meetings are superior. NIH has been minimizing in-person for years, yes predating COVID, basically over the objections of the peer reviewers.
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Since someone floated this up, some data! A little birdy sent me a slide deck FOIA’d from CSR. Costs for a normal recent operating year (FY24) of one in-person meeting, two remote, per standing study section. $13.15M in reviewer payments. $7.25M in hotel and $4.38M airfare
I wonder if #NIHgrant peer reviewers who did the work preparing for now-cancelled study section meetings will receive their $400 honorarium this time.
February 4, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Since someone floated this up, some data! A little birdy sent me a slide deck FOIA’d from CSR. Costs for a normal recent operating year (FY24) of one in-person meeting, two remote, per standing study section. $13.15M in reviewer payments. $7.25M in hotel and $4.38M airfare
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
It’s hard to put into perspective how truly massive the warehouse is that was recently sold by the Rockefeller Group to the Department of Homeland Security for $70 million to build a concentration camp in Surprise, AZ. Across the street is a huge neighborhood and a school. It’s 400,000-square-feet.
February 3, 2026 at 11:34 PM
It’s hard to put into perspective how truly massive the warehouse is that was recently sold by the Rockefeller Group to the Department of Homeland Security for $70 million to build a concentration camp in Surprise, AZ. Across the street is a huge neighborhood and a school. It’s 400,000-square-feet.
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
My position at The Post was eliminated, along with many other journalists of color hired after the 2020 racial reckoning.
February 4, 2026 at 3:31 PM
My position at The Post was eliminated, along with many other journalists of color hired after the 2020 racial reckoning.
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Buffalo mentioned! Want to get involved in the planning? DM me!
Join us on March 7th to rally to take back science!
February 4, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Buffalo mentioned! Want to get involved in the planning? DM me!
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
These are the curves for new and competitive renewal grants.
The number of new awards is increasing slightly, but only slightly.
17 out of 25 institutes and centers with funding authority have now made awards.
3/4
The number of new awards is increasing slightly, but only slightly.
17 out of 25 institutes and centers with funding authority have now made awards.
3/4
February 4, 2026 at 3:35 PM
These are the curves for new and competitive renewal grants.
The number of new awards is increasing slightly, but only slightly.
17 out of 25 institutes and centers with funding authority have now made awards.
3/4
The number of new awards is increasing slightly, but only slightly.
17 out of 25 institutes and centers with funding authority have now made awards.
3/4
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
These are the curves for non-competitive renewal grants.
The curve for fiscal year 2026 is still lagging behind, in part because of the government shutdown and in part because of what appears to be a somewhat lower rate of grant issuance.
2/4
The curve for fiscal year 2026 is still lagging behind, in part because of the government shutdown and in part because of what appears to be a somewhat lower rate of grant issuance.
2/4
February 4, 2026 at 3:35 PM
These are the curves for non-competitive renewal grants.
The curve for fiscal year 2026 is still lagging behind, in part because of the government shutdown and in part because of what appears to be a somewhat lower rate of grant issuance.
2/4
The curve for fiscal year 2026 is still lagging behind, in part because of the government shutdown and in part because of what appears to be a somewhat lower rate of grant issuance.
2/4
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
My weekly update on NIH funding.
This is for all projects.
The breakdown for competing and non-competing awards will follow.
1/4
This is for all projects.
The breakdown for competing and non-competing awards will follow.
1/4
February 4, 2026 at 3:35 PM
My weekly update on NIH funding.
This is for all projects.
The breakdown for competing and non-competing awards will follow.
1/4
This is for all projects.
The breakdown for competing and non-competing awards will follow.
1/4
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
These are the last words in the last column I wrote for The Washington Post, titled "When institutions crumble, strongmen step in". www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
February 4, 2026 at 3:26 PM
These are the last words in the last column I wrote for The Washington Post, titled "When institutions crumble, strongmen step in". www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
If you're a JEB author and fish biologist, then the 16th International Congress on the Biology of Fish #ICBF2026 in Vancouver, Canada, 12-16 July 2026, is the perfect meeting for you!
Abstract submission and registration are now open:
icbf2026.com
Abstract submission and registration are now open:
icbf2026.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:56 PM
If you're a JEB author and fish biologist, then the 16th International Congress on the Biology of Fish #ICBF2026 in Vancouver, Canada, 12-16 July 2026, is the perfect meeting for you!
Abstract submission and registration are now open:
icbf2026.com
Abstract submission and registration are now open:
icbf2026.com
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Your rulers are rogues
And cronies of thieves,
Every one avid for presents
And greedy for gifts;
They do not judge the case of the orphan,
And the widow’s cause never reaches them.
—Isaiah 1:23
And cronies of thieves,
Every one avid for presents
And greedy for gifts;
They do not judge the case of the orphan,
And the widow’s cause never reaches them.
—Isaiah 1:23
Speaking on behalf of a religion that actively sought to spread itself to every country in the world whether invited or not, Speaker Johnson would like to share with you the Biblical case for strong borders.
February 4, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Your rulers are rogues
And cronies of thieves,
Every one avid for presents
And greedy for gifts;
They do not judge the case of the orphan,
And the widow’s cause never reaches them.
—Isaiah 1:23
And cronies of thieves,
Every one avid for presents
And greedy for gifts;
They do not judge the case of the orphan,
And the widow’s cause never reaches them.
—Isaiah 1:23
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
Bezos isn't destroying the Washington Post because it isn't profitable. He's destroying the Washington Post because he's calculated that a robust free press threatens the ability of his class to warp society around their interests
February 4, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Bezos isn't destroying the Washington Post because it isn't profitable. He's destroying the Washington Post because he's calculated that a robust free press threatens the ability of his class to warp society around their interests
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
There are a few by noticeable amount of students that think they can dictate the terms of the classroom and treat Black professors as inferior to them and when corrected fly off the handle. It’s happened to me. It happens all the time all around the country. www.timesunion.com/state/articl...
Albany Law School student accuses school, professor of discrimination
Lawsuits accuse Albany Law School and a Black professor of retaliation after “white conservative” student filed complaint alleging he was singled out in class.
www.timesunion.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:42 PM
There are a few by noticeable amount of students that think they can dictate the terms of the classroom and treat Black professors as inferior to them and when corrected fly off the handle. It’s happened to me. It happens all the time all around the country. www.timesunion.com/state/articl...
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
So, let’s see. You kidnap us, beat us up, tell us you take the worst of the worst - but it looks like everyone to me. You throw kids in detention camps, haul workers away, and the Constitution doesn’t apply to PoC - and you think more will win us back? Pendejos. www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
Republicans are freaking out about Hispanic voters after a Texas upset
Democrats flipped a deep-red state senate district over the weekend that has the party worried about November.
www.politico.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:33 AM
So, let’s see. You kidnap us, beat us up, tell us you take the worst of the worst - but it looks like everyone to me. You throw kids in detention camps, haul workers away, and the Constitution doesn’t apply to PoC - and you think more will win us back? Pendejos. www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
Reposted by Mark Peifer (He, him)
the guy who financed a propaganda film about the nazi first lady is killing a newspaper that writes unfavorably about her and her husband. this is how the club works.
February 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM
the guy who financed a propaganda film about the nazi first lady is killing a newspaper that writes unfavorably about her and her husband. this is how the club works.