Carinna Torgerson
@brainy-carinna.bsky.social
Neuroscientist specializing in sex and gender. Proud queer nerd.
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
The existence of homeless people is evidence that more taxes are necessary.
The existence of billionaires is evidence that they can afford to pay more taxes.
The existence of billionaires is evidence that they can afford to pay more taxes.
June 20, 2025 at 10:31 PM
The existence of homeless people is evidence that more taxes are necessary.
The existence of billionaires is evidence that they can afford to pay more taxes.
The existence of billionaires is evidence that they can afford to pay more taxes.
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
75% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases are in kids under 6.
1960s: ALL survival was 10%.
Today: Survival is over 90%.
That’s because of chemotherapy.
Not supplements, “detoxes,” juice, or wellness bullshit.
Chemotherapy saves lives.
Misinformation kills.
Read more in Immunologic ⬇️
1960s: ALL survival was 10%.
Today: Survival is over 90%.
That’s because of chemotherapy.
Not supplements, “detoxes,” juice, or wellness bullshit.
Chemotherapy saves lives.
Misinformation kills.
Read more in Immunologic ⬇️
Cancer misinformation kills. Chemotherapy saves lives.
Rejecting evidence-based treatment in favor of false hope and wellness industry lies is deadly.
news.immunologic.org
April 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
75% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases are in kids under 6.
1960s: ALL survival was 10%.
Today: Survival is over 90%.
That’s because of chemotherapy.
Not supplements, “detoxes,” juice, or wellness bullshit.
Chemotherapy saves lives.
Misinformation kills.
Read more in Immunologic ⬇️
1960s: ALL survival was 10%.
Today: Survival is over 90%.
That’s because of chemotherapy.
Not supplements, “detoxes,” juice, or wellness bullshit.
Chemotherapy saves lives.
Misinformation kills.
Read more in Immunologic ⬇️
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
After her own funding was slashed, neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon co-founded Science Homecoming, an organization that calls on US scientists to submit opinion pieces to their hometown newspapers making the case for investment in science.
How we’re battling Trump’s science cuts across small-town America
Neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon is urging scientists to use the power of local newspapers in the fight against US research-funding cuts.
spklr.io
April 29, 2025 at 4:49 PM
After her own funding was slashed, neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon co-founded Science Homecoming, an organization that calls on US scientists to submit opinion pieces to their hometown newspapers making the case for investment in science.
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
(2/3)
Here’s what to do:
1. Find a cancelled NSF grant in your state here 👇
airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...
2. Find your reps. Explain why this grant is important - & you won’t be silent on it. 👇
www.congress.gov/members/find...
Here’s what to do:
1. Find a cancelled NSF grant in your state here 👇
airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...
2. Find your reps. Explain why this grant is important - & you won’t be silent on it. 👇
www.congress.gov/members/find...
www.congress.gov
April 23, 2025 at 4:03 PM
(2/3)
Here’s what to do:
1. Find a cancelled NSF grant in your state here 👇
airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...
2. Find your reps. Explain why this grant is important - & you won’t be silent on it. 👇
www.congress.gov/members/find...
Here’s what to do:
1. Find a cancelled NSF grant in your state here 👇
airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...
2. Find your reps. Explain why this grant is important - & you won’t be silent on it. 👇
www.congress.gov/members/find...
Dramatically cutting future funding is stupid. Halting existing research halfway through and throwing out the data is profoundly idiotic.
Are terminations of NIH grants wasting billions of taxpayer dollars?
DOGE argues killing grants saves money, but a Science analysis suggests more than $1.4 billion in sunk research costs may produce few results
www.science.org
April 4, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Dramatically cutting future funding is stupid. Halting existing research halfway through and throwing out the data is profoundly idiotic.
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
“Trump’s actions have revealed the inherent constitutional
fragility of the existing centralized public payments architecture. A nation in which a single govt IT official can effectively commandeer all federal budget activity is a
nation vulnerable to attack & compromise by a dictatorial president.”
fragility of the existing centralized public payments architecture. A nation in which a single govt IT official can effectively commandeer all federal budget activity is a
nation vulnerable to attack & compromise by a dictatorial president.”
"the BFS's payments IT systems come closest to embodying the Trumpian vision of the 21st C unitary executive fisc: all spending managed via a single spreadsheet, run from a single machine under the control of one person. A big, beautiful fiscal death star for the galactic emperor"
April 3, 2025 at 11:46 PM
“Trump’s actions have revealed the inherent constitutional
fragility of the existing centralized public payments architecture. A nation in which a single govt IT official can effectively commandeer all federal budget activity is a
nation vulnerable to attack & compromise by a dictatorial president.”
fragility of the existing centralized public payments architecture. A nation in which a single govt IT official can effectively commandeer all federal budget activity is a
nation vulnerable to attack & compromise by a dictatorial president.”
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
The bloodbaths at IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) and NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) show that Musk's DOGE has NOTHING TO DO WITH SAVING $.
IMLS budget: $295M
NEH budget: $211M
These are tiny drops in the federal spending bucket.
This is about ideological control.
IMLS budget: $295M
NEH budget: $211M
These are tiny drops in the federal spending bucket.
This is about ideological control.
April 4, 2025 at 1:43 AM
The bloodbaths at IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) and NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) show that Musk's DOGE has NOTHING TO DO WITH SAVING $.
IMLS budget: $295M
NEH budget: $211M
These are tiny drops in the federal spending bucket.
This is about ideological control.
IMLS budget: $295M
NEH budget: $211M
These are tiny drops in the federal spending bucket.
This is about ideological control.
Vaccines have important benefits even beyond their designed purpose. Viral infections contribute to dementia, MS, Parkinson's, ALS, and more. The link between past viral infections and neurodegenerative disease is not a fringe theory; it was part of the curriculum for my neuroscience PhD. 💉🧠
Nature research paper: A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia
https://go.nature.com/3XHRhq5
https://go.nature.com/3XHRhq5
A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia - Nature
Using a natural experiment that avoids common bias concerns, this study finds that the live-attenuated shingles vaccine reduced the probability of a new dementia diagnosis within a follow-up period of 7 years by approximately one-fifth.
go.nature.com
April 2, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Vaccines have important benefits even beyond their designed purpose. Viral infections contribute to dementia, MS, Parkinson's, ALS, and more. The link between past viral infections and neurodegenerative disease is not a fringe theory; it was part of the curriculum for my neuroscience PhD. 💉🧠
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
This. Authoritarians win by creating an atmosphere of hopelessness in order to preemptively suppress mass actions that could effectively challenge their power. Every single public act of defiance plays a critical role in stopping them.
I spoke to an expert in authoritarianism, who explained to me that things like this are extremely meaningful and they help protect democracy, even if there’s not a straight line between this and actual legislating
Senator Cory Booker concludes his record-breaking Senate Floor speech after 25 hours
Massive applause for Booker
Massive applause for Booker
April 2, 2025 at 6:06 PM
This. Authoritarians win by creating an atmosphere of hopelessness in order to preemptively suppress mass actions that could effectively challenge their power. Every single public act of defiance plays a critical role in stopping them.
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
A picture is worth a thousand words.
The administration says they're cutting a trillion in government spending. So far, 2025 spending is $1.89 trillion. It was $1.76 trillion at the same time last year. Spending is on pace to increase by 7.4% from last year.
www.marketwatch.com/story/despit...
The administration says they're cutting a trillion in government spending. So far, 2025 spending is $1.89 trillion. It was $1.76 trillion at the same time last year. Spending is on pace to increase by 7.4% from last year.
www.marketwatch.com/story/despit...
April 1, 2025 at 12:40 AM
A picture is worth a thousand words.
The administration says they're cutting a trillion in government spending. So far, 2025 spending is $1.89 trillion. It was $1.76 trillion at the same time last year. Spending is on pace to increase by 7.4% from last year.
www.marketwatch.com/story/despit...
The administration says they're cutting a trillion in government spending. So far, 2025 spending is $1.89 trillion. It was $1.76 trillion at the same time last year. Spending is on pace to increase by 7.4% from last year.
www.marketwatch.com/story/despit...
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
Wow what timing. Who needs environmental health anyway? 💀
www.wired.com/story/cdc-gu...
www.wired.com/story/cdc-gu...
April 1, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Wow what timing. Who needs environmental health anyway? 💀
www.wired.com/story/cdc-gu...
www.wired.com/story/cdc-gu...
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
On health economist Jay Bhattacharya’s first day as head of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the chiefs of four of the 27 institutes and centres that make up his agency were removed from their posts.
https://go.nature.com/3QZ8GGT
https://go.nature.com/3QZ8GGT
‘One of the darkest days’: NIH purges agency leadership amid mass layoffs
In shock move, four institute directors at the US biomedical agency are removed from their posts.
go.nature.com
April 1, 2025 at 5:58 PM
On health economist Jay Bhattacharya’s first day as head of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the chiefs of four of the 27 institutes and centres that make up his agency were removed from their posts.
https://go.nature.com/3QZ8GGT
https://go.nature.com/3QZ8GGT
I highly recommend reading this because:
a) it has fascinating historical tidbits (🙌 Ida A. Bengtson)
b) it illustrates how unanimous support for the NIH has historically been across parties and time
c) it demonstrates succinctly how the NIH is good for the economy
a) it has fascinating historical tidbits (🙌 Ida A. Bengtson)
b) it illustrates how unanimous support for the NIH has historically been across parties and time
c) it demonstrates succinctly how the NIH is good for the economy
Neighbor Tuesday: NIH updates - grants, indirect rates, and leadership changes
NIH funding is good for the health of the economy and its people.
emilysmith.substack.com
April 1, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I highly recommend reading this because:
a) it has fascinating historical tidbits (🙌 Ida A. Bengtson)
b) it illustrates how unanimous support for the NIH has historically been across parties and time
c) it demonstrates succinctly how the NIH is good for the economy
a) it has fascinating historical tidbits (🙌 Ida A. Bengtson)
b) it illustrates how unanimous support for the NIH has historically been across parties and time
c) it demonstrates succinctly how the NIH is good for the economy
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
New paper alert! The amygdala is key to emotional, social & appetitive behavior— but how do its subregions develop in preadolescence? In ~4,000 youth, we found:
🧠 Age → near-global amygdala expansion
🧬 Sex differences in apportionment
⚖️ Higher BMIz → smaller basolateral subregions
🧠 Age → near-global amygdala expansion
🧬 Sex differences in apportionment
⚖️ Higher BMIz → smaller basolateral subregions
April 1, 2025 at 4:32 PM
New paper alert! The amygdala is key to emotional, social & appetitive behavior— but how do its subregions develop in preadolescence? In ~4,000 youth, we found:
🧠 Age → near-global amygdala expansion
🧬 Sex differences in apportionment
⚖️ Higher BMIz → smaller basolateral subregions
🧠 Age → near-global amygdala expansion
🧬 Sex differences in apportionment
⚖️ Higher BMIz → smaller basolateral subregions
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
Reminder: the publicly stated reason that Hegseth, Vance et al. - the people who accidentally texted secret operational strike-package details to the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic - oppose DEI at the DOD is because they claim that it might lead to incompetent people holding positions of authority.
March 24, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Reminder: the publicly stated reason that Hegseth, Vance et al. - the people who accidentally texted secret operational strike-package details to the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic - oppose DEI at the DOD is because they claim that it might lead to incompetent people holding positions of authority.
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
The Matts and Noahs saying "DEI failed" and we need to abandon it should be forced to drill down.
Which do they oppose?
Diversity? Equity? Inclusion? All three?
If diversity, who is it that should be removed?
If equity, what inequities should be restored?
If inclusion, who should be excluded?
Which do they oppose?
Diversity? Equity? Inclusion? All three?
If diversity, who is it that should be removed?
If equity, what inequities should be restored?
If inclusion, who should be excluded?
March 7, 2025 at 2:19 PM
The Matts and Noahs saying "DEI failed" and we need to abandon it should be forced to drill down.
Which do they oppose?
Diversity? Equity? Inclusion? All three?
If diversity, who is it that should be removed?
If equity, what inequities should be restored?
If inclusion, who should be excluded?
Which do they oppose?
Diversity? Equity? Inclusion? All three?
If diversity, who is it that should be removed?
If equity, what inequities should be restored?
If inclusion, who should be excluded?
The Four Core Genotypes model is the gold standard for investigating whether health disparities between men and women are related to genetics or hormones. Scrapping this research will harm so many (human) women.
These are not "transgender mice"
These are mouse models used to determine the effects of certain medications on health. You know, the thing even those opposed to transgender healthcare often state we should be doing.
www.whitehouse.gov/articles/202...
These are mouse models used to determine the effects of certain medications on health. You know, the thing even those opposed to transgender healthcare often state we should be doing.
www.whitehouse.gov/articles/202...
Yes, Biden Spent Millions on Transgender Animal Experiments
Last night, President Donald J. Trump highlighted many of the egregious examples of waste, fraud, and abuse funded by American taxpayers, including $8
www.whitehouse.gov
March 5, 2025 at 8:26 PM
The Four Core Genotypes model is the gold standard for investigating whether health disparities between men and women are related to genetics or hormones. Scrapping this research will harm so many (human) women.
Reposted by Carinna Torgerson
I can’t believe this needs to be said.
TransGENIC mice
are not
TransGENDER mice
TransGENIC mice
are not
TransGENDER mice
March 5, 2025 at 2:51 AM
I can’t believe this needs to be said.
TransGENIC mice
are not
TransGENDER mice
TransGENIC mice
are not
TransGENDER mice