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Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

@drxilma.bsky.social

470 followers 640 following 24 posts

Boricua 🇵🇷 physician neuroscientist; Mom, Peds Neurogenetics 🧠🧬 @CHOP/UPenn, mitochondriac, my lab works on mechanisms of pediatric neurodegeneration #raredisease #TBCK https://www.med.upenn.edu/oglab/ opinion = my own

www.med.upenn.edu

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Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD @drxilma.bsky.social · Nov 17

Good way to start fresh here is to thank all who made our TBCK Foundation meeting a great success! Was especially proud that the meeting was hosted for the first time in PR; max inclusivity +fun!🇵🇷
Always impactful for scientists to experience first hand the why of our research
#raredisease

Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD @drxilma.bsky.social · 3d

Start with "lo que le paso a Hawaii" and you'll see why Boricuas of all generations and ages connected deeply with this last album

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Monica Maalouf, MD @maaloufmd.bsky.social · 5d

My husband was detained by ICE today

Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away

I have had zero contact or updates since

#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov

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Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD @drxilma.bsky.social · 7d

Congrats @pennngg.bsky.social students Briana and Leonardo! we were happy to collaborate on defining this novel human disease association for BCAT1

Human Genetics and Genomics Advances @hggadvances.bsky.social · 7d

📣New from DiSanza et al!
📄Biallelic variants in BCAT1 impair mitochondrial function and are associated with a candidate neurometabolic disorder
👉https://bit.ly/4mGchH5

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Theresa Kim, PhD, MS @tyk314.net · 7d

Please read. #NIH #shutdown

NOT-OD-26-004: Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding NOT-OD-26-004. NIH

grants.nih.gov

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

mitotalks.bsky.social @mitotalks.bsky.social · 13d

The future is visiting again! We are seeking applicants for the 7th season of MITOchats. Deadline for submission is October 17th. Visit www.mitotalks.org for details or submit your application at forms.gle/5D6vWE92yYCi...

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 14d

If you were concerned about Kimmel, here's another for you…

Journalist Mario Guevara has been detained for 100+ days, ironically arrested as he reported on a "No Kings" protest.

The Trump-Vance admin just issued an order of final removal, to send him to El Salvador—where he fled from 21 years ago.

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 15d

To be clear, there are no data that provide a link between short-term use of Tylenol during pregnancy and autism. In fact, one of the best prospective studies w/ sibling controls, if anything, pointed to a protective effect for use less than 7 days
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

ProPublica @propublica.org · 17d

📽️ WATCH: Epidemiologist Erin McCanlies spent much of the past 20 years studying how parents’ exposure to toxic chemicals affects the chances that they will have an autistic child.

RFK Jr. cut her entire division — yet promises to identify the causes of autism by September: https://propub.li/4nhXQua

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Shematologist, MD @shematologist.medsky.social · 21d

This is what happens without vaccinations.

The ducks are adorable.

The hospitalized child with a respirator is tragic.

And now preventable.

1956 university of Michigan Children’s Hospital. Three-year-old Peggy Kennedy enjoyed these ducklings paddling around in a tub. Peggy, a polio patient, wore a plastic chest respirator. The ducklings were donated by a local farmer to help cheer up the children.

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Keshav K Singh, PhD @mitoscientist.bsky.social · 20d

This week (Sept 15 to 21, 2025) is Mitochondrial Disease Week
-a chance to shine light on mitochondrial disorders and the people living with them.
Light up green for mito on 20th, September.

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · Sep 5

There’s more than one way to do science 🧠💼
Join us for #BlackInNeuroAltCareers: Beyond the Bench at #BINW25 — featuring Black scientists thriving in tech, policy & beyond.

🗓 Sept 11 | 🕒 3–4 PM ET 
#5YearsOfBIN

Flyer for the Black In Neuro Conference session titled #BlackInNeuroAltCareers Symposium: ‘Beyond the Bench’, happening Thursday, September from 3:00-4:00 PM ET. The session features three speakers: Sheena M. Posey Norris, M.S., PMP., Senior Program Officer, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Korie Grayson, Ph.D., Critical & Emerging Technology Analyst, Systems Planning & Analysis; and Emmanuel Taiwo. M.S., Senior Technical Specialist - AI Security, Microsoft . Headshots of each speaker are shown alongside their names and institutions. The flyer notes it is a hybrid event with virtual registration available. Decorative borders and logos for Black In Neuro and #5YearsOfBIN are also included.

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Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD @drxilma.bsky.social · Aug 28

I'm clapping and hoping you had a nice glass of vino ☺️

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Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD @drxilma.bsky.social · Aug 28

👏🏾

Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · Aug 28

CDC scientists receive a heroes welcome after walking out today.

Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Aug 28

Great set of follows here. Diverse perspectives on all this [waves arms wildly]...

Rosa Lafer-Sousa @rosalafersousa.bsky.social · Aug 28

Current and former members of the NIH community have valuable personal perspectives to share about the devastation that is happening to US biomedical research, our federal agencies, and our democracy. This starter pack is a great way to hear what they have to say and what you can do about it.

🧪🧬🧠🥼🇺🇸

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Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD @drxilma.bsky.social · Aug 27

Here's a no brainer (pun intended) petition to sign!

Peter Daszak @peterdaszak.bsky.social · Aug 26

Launched today! Join 6 Nobel Laureates, 27 Members of the US National Academies & the Scientific Advisory Board of @accountabilityji.bsky.social in signing this petition demanding RFK Jr.'s resignation.

www.change.org/p/demand-rfk...

Sign the Petition

Demand RFK Jr. Resign: Petition for a Healthy America

www.change.org

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Arghavan Salles, MD, PhD @arghavansallesmd.medsky.social · Aug 26

We asked researchers across the country how federal funding changes have affected them and their labs. Their responses indicate a sense of doom and an existential crisis for science in the US: “The ship is going down and we are powerless.”

Importantly, there’s still time to fix this. 1/2

We surveyed hundreds of biomedical researchers about the instability in federal funding. Here’s what they said

“The ship is going down and we are powerless”: What scientists are saying about cuts to federal research funding.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Aug 24

New York Times story with profiles of researchers whose grants were terminated.

[Gift Link]

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/o...

Opinion | America First? Not When It Comes to Your Health.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

It's ME(Jaime) @exceedhergrasp1.bsky.social · Aug 21

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is stepping up to fund some of the health equity grants that were fed to the wood-chipper. If your racial/indigenous health equity grant was funded, then that funding was rescinded, consider applying! 🧪

www.rwjf.org/en/grants/ac...

Rapid Response: Reinvesting in Racial and Indigenous Health Equity Research

The purpose of this call for proposals is to meet the current moment by supporting timely, actionable health equity research that has been interrupted by shifts in federal funding.

www.rwjf.org

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Megan Ranney MD MPH @meganranney.bsky.social · Aug 19

Also important this week: A trustworthy guide to childhood vaccine schedules, from actual pediatricians (many of whom saw these diseases before they could be vaccinated against).

* pin it & share it *

Ps: no, pediatricians are not pharma shills, don’t @ me
www.healthychildren.org/English/safe...

All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule

Here's what to know about the recommended immunization schedule for children and teens. The schedule is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics and based on ongoing review of the most recent sc...

www.healthychildren.org

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

adelaide tovar @adel-aide.bsky.social · Aug 14

The UAW/ACLU/APHA are seeking details on NIH grant applications that were delayed or withdrawn. The previous deadline of August 4 has been extended to August 25. I’ll include screenshots of FAQs in the replies. Please share widely!

www.aclu.org/APHAvNIHform

Details from an email with criteria to be included in the list

As a reminder, the supplemental list will
only include delayed, pending, or withdrawn applications. They must fit the following criteria:

The survey respondent is an APHA and/or UAW member with some relationship to the delayed/withdrawn application at issue (e.g., PI, graduate student researcher); and

The application touches on a disfavored topic (DEI, gender identity, vaccine hesitancy, Covid-19, foreign subawards, influencing public opinion, South Africa, and/or China)

or

The application is for a diversity pipeline program (non-exhaustive list: MOSAIC, F31 Diversity, IRACDA, MARC, ARC, IMSD, ReWARD, B-INSPIRE, CPACHE, BRAIN Initiative, Cancer Moonshot Scholars Diversity Program).

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Aug 8

Nature story about the Executive Order...

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Trump order gives political appointees vast powers over research grants

Researchers are alarmed that the move might upend a long-standing tradition of peer-review for grants.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Adam Keiper @adamkeiper.com · Aug 8

Deaf guy tried to show ICE his ID. An agent grabbed it and didn't return it.

So he tried to type a message about his disability but an agent grabbed his phone.

He was left w/ no way to communicate w/ the men seizing him.

He was a DACA recipient (a "dreamer"). He spent nearly a month in detention.

Dreamers Face ‘Greatest Threat’ Yet in Trump Immigrant Crackdown

The DACA program has survived years of political siege—but recent arrests have dreamers shocked and worried.

www.thebulwark.com

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

STAT @statnews.com · Aug 6

Rare disease research has been caught up in a Trump administration crackdown on NIH grants being used to support international collaborations www.statnews.com/2025/08/06/n...

Rare disease patients caught in Trump crackdown on foreign grant awards

Rare disease research has been caught up in a Trump administration crackdown on NIH grants being used to support international collaborations

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Xilma Ortiz-Gonzalez MD PhD

Benjamín Torres Gotay @torresgotay.bsky.social · Aug 7

Qué triste noticia: Muere el gigante del piano, Eddie Palmieri. Descanse en paz, maestro www.elnuevodia.com/entretenimie...

Muere el gigante del piano, Eddie Palmieri

Varios artistas confirmaron su muerte el miércoles por la tarde

www.elnuevodia.com

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