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Gabriel Rocklin

@grocklin.bsky.social

1.4K followers 380 following 130 posts

Digests proteins. High-throughput protein biophysics and design, Northwestern University. www.rocklinlab.org

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Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Mar 26

Small proteins can be more complex than they look!

We know proteins fluctuate between different conformations- but by how much? How does it vary from protein to protein? Can highly stable domains have low stability segments? @ajrferrari.bsky.social experimentally tested >5,000 domains to find out!

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Erica D. Pratt @pratted.bsky.social · 12d

Announcing such a major change to NSF GRFP this late in the cycle is incredibly cruel. 2nd yr students (mine included) have been working so hard on their proposals despite ongoing uncertainty. They are driven and passionate about being outstanding scientists and helping those coming up behind them.

This means individuals in the following statuses at the time of application are eligible:

Undergraduate in the final (senior) year of a bachelor’s degree program
Bachelor’s degree-holder with NO enrollment in a graduate degree program (non-degree graduate coursework allowed)
Individual enrolled in a joint bachelor’s-master’s degree program with at least three undergraduate years completed
First-year graduate student in their first graduate degree program with less than one academic year completed in the degree program (according to institution’s academic calendar)
Individuals enrolled in joint bachelor’s-master’s degree programs are considered graduate students. For GRFP, joint bachelor’s-master’s degrees are defined as degrees concurrently pursued and awarded.
Not be a current NSF employee.

Applications that do not meet eligibility requirements will be returned without review as being ineligible for a fellowship.

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Elise Cutts @elisecutts.bsky.social · 15d

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ✨ figured out what stars are made of ✨ when she was just 25. 🔭🧪

Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.

I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 31

FWIW my DP2 was GM funded so I'm eligible and I have an R35 with a score of 23 submitted May 2024 that is stuck Pending...

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 31

They never specifically told me it was because I had too much other funding, but fwiw I had 1 year left on a DP2 at the time and that was it. Plus a small amount of non-federal stuff.

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 31

This is actually from almost two years ago, scored October 2023, never funded. 7%ile GM.

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 31

My 7%ile GM R01 was reviewed in October 2023, and after council PO wrote in April 2024 "In a holistic view, it will be unlikely that your application gets funded this time. We had many strong applications but extremely limited funds available for R01s.". Never was awarded, still sitting in ERA.

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 31

oh boy. find some good novels to read in the meantime

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 31

I've been pending since April, you? Scored in October last year.

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 31

Colleague with no NIH funding had a 6%ile NIGMS R01 not funded, my 7%ile NIGMS R01 wasn't funded when I only had 1y left on 1 other NIH award. Would love to see an updated version of Fig 4 nigms.nih.gov/loop/2024/03... because I think it would look very different.

Application and Funding Trends in Fiscal Year 2023 | National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Colette Delawalla @cdelawalla.bsky.social · Jul 30

Vought and his “no more NIH money out the door” footnote is a power struggle. Between R’s getting antsy about hard votes and Senate signaling support for science funding, Vought had to signal his dominance in some way.

Now is the real test: are R’s more afraid of Trump et al. or their constituents?

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · Jul 30

The NIH can’t award ANY grants to outside researchers under new WH restriction, reports @wsj.com.

The pause came in the form of a footnote from OMB Director Vought, in a document that doles out federal funds to the NIH.

Prelude to rescissions, especially after his comments over the weekend?

Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding

The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Gen Wojcik @genandgenes.bsky.social · Jul 30

One might think, oh the fiscal year is only two months. But many of our grants are already delayed by weeks to months and we are on borrowed time as is. This is devastating and heralds darker times ahead.

Liz Essley Whyte @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social · Jul 29

NEW
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year

Chokes off billions in research funding

Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social

Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding

The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Roel Verhaak @roelverhaak.bsky.social · Jul 23

PO just confirmed that our 5th percentile R01 is not getting funded. Past NCI Payline at 4 percent. Cant believe it.

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

@LaBonneLaB @labonnelab.bsky.social · Jul 24

NCI's payline will be the 4th percentile. The Trump administration has effectively killed Cancer Research in the US
www.cancer.gov/grants-train...

Funding Policy - Research Grants

NCI funding policy for research project grant (RPG) awards reflects the funding goals of the institute, NIH, and HHS.

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 19

Very cool, congratulations! I'd love to know how the model does at matching the HDX data in Fig 3! And maybe our data could be used to improve the model :)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Large-scale discovery, analysis, and design of protein energy landscapes

All folded proteins continuously fluctuate between their low-energy native structures and higher energy conformations that can be partially or fully unfolded. These rare states influence protein funct...

www.biorxiv.org

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Chris Ashwood @cashwood.proteaglyco.com · Jul 15

A motivating quote from @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social:
“…You are discovering knowledge and gifting that to humanity for all of posterity. Once you learn something no one can take that away. It is not an object. It is an intellectual currency that will be shared throughout the generations…”

A personal message from 2022 chemistry laureate Carolyn Bertozzi to all young researchers on why to aspire to a career in science:

”I would want to share with them how a life in science is incredibly rewarding. It is rewarding because it is creative. You are discovering knowledge and gifting that to humanity for all of posterity. Once you learn something no one can take that away. It is not an object. It is an intellectual currency that will be shared throughout the generations. And you created that. It has a permanence that ironically a physical object doesn’t have. You can paint a painting, but eventually it will fade. But knowledge doesn’t fade. Knowledge stays with us forever and it becomes the foundation for the next generations.”

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 9

Congratulations Kim, that’s awesome!!

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Brittany S. Morgan @morganlabatnd.bsky.social · Jul 3

#MorganLabatND is hiring a research technician!! We are looking for an aspiring biochemistry researcher that shares our community values, is curious about the world around them, and brings a unique perspective to our team. (1/2)

jobs.smartrecruiters.com/UniversityOf...

Research Technician

Company Description: The University of Notre Dame is more than a workplace; it is a vibrant, mission-driven community where every employee is valued and supported. Rooted in a tradition of excellence ...

jobs.smartrecruiters.com

Gabriel Rocklin @grocklin.bsky.social · Jul 3

Chicago!

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Science for Good ☀️ @sciforgood.bsky.social · Jun 26

Although 500 new NSF GRFPs were added in June, the total number of fellowships in 2025 remains ~500 fewer than in 2024. Some fields—like CS and Physics—still saw net increases in total awards.

But others, including Life Sciences & Psychology, have taken hits of 50% or more compared to last year.

Change in NSF GRFP awards from 2024-2025. Bar height shows absolute change, label shows percent change.

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Daniel Arango @danyarango.bsky.social · Jun 18

Excited to share this preprint from my lab. We report a potent and site-specific inhibition of translation initiation by 2’O methylation.

It’s been a though year, but these discoveries keep us excited and motivated! #RNAsky #RNAbiology

bioRxiv Molecular Biology @biorxiv-molbio.bsky.social · Jun 17

Targeted Inhibition of Translation Initiation via 2'O-Methylation of Start Codons https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.14.659565v1

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Ben Orr @benorr.bsky.social · Jun 10

We are excited to share our new preprint, “An improved model for prediction of de novo designed proteins with diverse geometries”. (1/9) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

An improved model for prediction of de novo designed proteins with diverse geometries

Nature uses structural variations on protein folds to fine-tune the geometries of proteins for diverse functions, yet deep learning-based de novo protein design methods generate highly regular, ideali...

www.biorxiv.org

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · Jun 7

Keep in mind: these are AWARDED grants, with Notice of Awards. The federal government is not honoring existing contracts with this university, refusing to reimburse for costs charge on awarded grants.

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 7

Funding freeze at Northwestern from Emma Mairson at
grant-watch.us. Data from USAspending. Normally, ~$70 M per month. Now, bupkis.

Northwestern is keeping research moving and must be spending ~$40 M per month. Clearly not sustainable for too long.

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 7

Funding freeze at Northwestern from Emma Mairson at
grant-watch.us. Data from USAspending. Normally, ~$70 M per month. Now, bupkis.

Northwestern is keeping research moving and must be spending ~$40 M per month. Clearly not sustainable for too long.

Reposted by Gabriel Rocklin

Craig Kaplan @triggerloop.bsky.social · Jun 4

Note that this (exceptional) visualization does not appear to account for the Harvard, Brown, Northwestern terminations. This is a major underestimate

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · Jun 4

The gutting of US biomedical research with loss of ~2,500 grants affecting research for cancer, Alzheimer’s, infectious disease, global health and much more
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...