Rachael Sirianni, PhD
@docsirianni.bsky.social
8.8K followers 480 following 1.2K posts
Biomedical Engineer, Professor & Vice Chair of Research for Neurosurgery, UMass Chan Medical School. Treating pediatric brain tumors and neurodegenerative disease via all things nanomedicine and the subarachnoid space. *opinions are my own
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docsirianni.bsky.social
I am not a political pawn. I am a living, breathing human being who has dedicated her life to a scientific problem that I believe matters for human health. The article below tells our story; I hope you will read it and share it www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/m...
Trump Is Shutting Down the War On Cancer
www.nytimes.com
docsirianni.bsky.social
Yes but also amidst this <surreal nightmare that is the collapse of our formerly free society> - and really gimme a break for a bit of humor bc it’s 24/7 misery at the moment - all I can think about this video is “More Cowbell” and I REALLY hope Christopher Walken has something to say about this
docsirianni.bsky.social
“But framing science as a debate to be won makes it easy to paint established scientists as opponents who must be overcome... to suggest scientists are either self-satisfied elites… or, worse, liars who know the truth and are hiding it” www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/o...
Opinion | Why Young Men Are Losing Faith in Science
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Rachael Sirianni, PhD
anjalienjeti.bsky.social
My god.

“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”
Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'
The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.
chicago.suntimes.com
docsirianni.bsky.social
❤️ it is such a loss. She was an incredible human being
coreypieper.com
Rest in peace, Jane.
docsirianni.bsky.social
Thank you 😭❤️ we have to persist, you are right…
docsirianni.bsky.social
This just in: shockingly, people with actual experience working inside the systems they lead do a better job leading them than inexperienced and unqualified baffoons who don’t know what they don’t know…
jonmladd.bsky.social
Two things can be true: 1) Universities are not perfectly run. There are many problems that we should try to fix. 2) It's actually very hard to run a college or university. It's much much easier to perform worse than the status quo than better. www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
Reposted by Rachael Sirianni, PhD
ndrew.bsky.social
its weird that the president brags about inflicting pain on american citizens and cities right?
docsirianni.bsky.social
I stand by federal workers. I stand by senators and reps that defend values + priorities of citizens. I stand by compassion, humility, and our (former?) role as a global leader. Call your legislature. Tell them to fight the good fight + return to what has always made our country great: our democracy
docsirianni.bsky.social
Today, I am mired in the day in day out misery that is my current professional (+ subsequently personal...) existence as a scientist. I am exhausted. I am demoralized. Every single day feels harder than the last. I have been running on empty for months. But I have to believe the fight is worth it
Reposted by Rachael Sirianni, PhD
madhupai.bsky.social
Wow

Austria has lured 25 American researchers away from U.S. institutions including Harvard, the MIT and Princeton with grants set up in response to the Trump administration's funding cuts
Reposted by Rachael Sirianni, PhD
tyk314.net
The end of FY 2025 is coming, and #OMB appears perfectly content to use us as targets. We are not their chess pieces. We serve our PIs. We are here in our personal capacities. Follow the #NIH.
docsirianni.bsky.social
(So, an oxford coma sounds pretty good!)
docsirianni.bsky.social
I'm not sure I've *actually* slept since January...
docsirianni.bsky.social
Sign! If you haven't signed yet, sign now! If you haven't forwarded to friends and family, there's still time!
rosalafersousa.bsky.social
🇺🇸 Fed workers across the government are issuing a challenge to Congress: "We call on you to pass nothing less than a fighting CR: a funding bill that not only keeps the lights on, but that also includes statutory protections to rein in executive lawlessness."

✍️ Sign the letter. Spread the word 🔥
Civil Servants Demand an End to Executive Overreach
Join federal workers from across the federal government as we urge Congress to pass nothing less than a continuing resolution (CR) that reasserts Congress's constitutional powers, upholds our democrac...
actionnetwork.org
Reposted by Rachael Sirianni, PhD
markhisted.org
The New York Times piece today about US science is terrible and wrong—in many ways.

I could write a whole article about this, but as one example:

“To close observers, the original crisis began well before any of this…”
No. I’m a close observer of science, and this is incorrect.
Reposted by Rachael Sirianni, PhD
drugmonkey.bsky.social
This is the list of NIH ICs which lack permanent Directors. It will be very interesting to see who is willing to take the roles, assuming NIH tries to fill the positions. (NIMH has an active search)
jeremymberg.bsky.social
NCI, NHGRI, NIAID, NICHD, NIDCR, NIGMS, NIMH, NIMHD, NINR, NLM, CSR, Fogarty, NIICH, Clinical Center.
docsirianni.bsky.social
Sitting, frustrated, tired of it all, want to take action? Sign the letter below. This letter is huge. Make it go far!
rosalafersousa.bsky.social
🇺🇸 Fed workers across the government are issuing a challenge to Congress: "We call on you to pass nothing less than a fighting CR: a funding bill that not only keeps the lights on, but that also includes statutory protections to rein in executive lawlessness."

✍️ Sign the letter. Spread the word 🔥
Civil Servants Demand an End to Executive Overreach
Join federal workers from across the federal government as we urge Congress to pass nothing less than a continuing resolution (CR) that reasserts Congress's constitutional powers, upholds our democrac...
actionnetwork.org
docsirianni.bsky.social
I really struggled to caption it and finally gave up 🙇‍♀️
rebeccafieldingmiller.com
It must be weird to write for the onion right now