Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · 10d

According to news reports, NIH is on track to award nearly all of its FY25 budget. Program officers—working long hours despite staff losses—made it possible. Take a moment to thank your PO for their dedication.

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · 29d

ICE and DHS have proposed capping F and J visas at 4 years, threatening international students and postdocs who drive U.S. research. Share your comments to oppose this harmful policy: www.ascb.org/science-poli...

White House Proposes Shorter F and J Visa Terms - ASCB

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have published a notice in the Federal Register proposing changes to regulations that would significantly s...

www.ascb.org

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Siegenthaler Lab @siegenthalerlab.bsky.social · Aug 30

Met with my NIH program officer last week to discuss my A0 grant summary statement (good impact score but not good enough, I am certain) - it was a very helpful conversation as I prepare for the resubmission, I told him that academic scientists appreciate NIH career staff more than ever before. 💛💫

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · Aug 12

“I keep coming back to Cell Bio because I’ve always felt that the cell biologists were a very welcoming and supportive community.” — Martin Chalfie, Columbia University professor & 2008 Nobel Laureate

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWJV... #ASCB #CellBiology

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · Aug 18

🏅 Congratulations to Sandra Schmid (@czbiohub) on receiving ASCB’s 2025 E.B. Wilson Medal! This award honors distinguished researchers for far-reaching contributions to cell biology over a lifetime in science—an achievement Sandra exemplifies. #ASCB #CellBiology

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · Aug 21

Students & early-career scientists—don’t miss out! ✈️ #ASCB Travel Grants can help you get to #CellBio2025. Apply today: 👉 www.ascb.org/grants/ascb-... #CellBiology

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · Aug 22

ASM, ASBMB, ASCB & FASEB are deeply disappointed in the Supreme Court ruling allowing cancellation of $800M in NIH grants, threatening labs, jobs, and early-career scientists. Stable funding is vital for U.S. science.

Read more: www.ascb.org/society-news...

Statement on Supreme Court Ruling in American Public Health Association v. NIH - ASCB

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) and the Federation of American Societies ...

www.ascb.org

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Dr. David Miller 🏳️‍🌈 @davidimiller.bsky.social · Jul 31

Here's the provision to block multi-year funding:

(the bill text PDF will later be updated with this as an adopted amendment: www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/do...)

"Sec. 239. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be used to increase the proportion of multi-year grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health in fiscal year 2026 that are fully funded in the first year of the award, relative to the comparable proportion in fiscal year 2024, unless the National Institutes of Health awards at least the same number of total grants in fiscal year 2026 as in fiscal year 2024."

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · Jul 30

Lawmakers to NIH: Use it or lose it.
14 Republican Senators—including key appropriators—are urging the White House to release NIH FY25 funds without delay, warning that stalled spending could harm future research budgets.
Read more: www.ascb.org/science-poli...

“Use It or Lose It!” - ASCB

Fourteen Republican Senators have written to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB)—the agency responsible for developing the President’s annual budget propo...

www.ascb.org

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Coalition for Life Sciences @c4lifesciences.bsky.social · Jul 24

In June, CLS predicted that success rates would PLUMMET if NIH implemented multiyear funding.

NCI just confirmed.

9% down to 4%!!!!

#MathIsntHard

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Coalition for Life Sciences @c4lifesciences.bsky.social · Jun 6

Today CLS brings attention to a sleeper cell proposal in the President's NIH Budget for FY26: Multi-Year Awards.

Read our statement to learn why this "nothing to see here" boring-sounding proposal would actually be DEVASTATING to research.

www.coalitionforlifesciences.org/cls-objects-...

CLS Objects to Multi-Year Funding Proposal - The Coalition for the Life Sciences

The President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 includes a seemingly innocuous proposal to transition up to half of research projects grants to "multiyear funding." CLS predicts application success rates ...

www.coalitionforlifesciences.org

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Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦 @merz.bsky.social · Jul 28

Statement from the Coalition for Life Sciences:

CLS Objects to Multi-Year Funding Proposal - The Coalition for the Life Sciences

The President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 includes a seemingly innocuous proposal to transition up to half of research projects grants to "multiyear funding." CLS predicts application success rates ...

www.coalitionforlifesciences.org

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KMW @kmwil.bsky.social · Jul 3

Nope

KMW @kmwil.bsky.social · Jul 2

We can’t depend on a filibuster to “solve” a bad budget for either the NIH or NSF. You need to follow this advocacy alert and make sure those budgets are better than the huge cuts proposed. www.ascb.org/society-news...

Society News Archives - ASCB

www.ascb.org

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KMW @kmwil.bsky.social · Jul 2

We can’t depend on a filibuster to “solve” a bad budget for either the NIH or NSF. You need to follow this advocacy alert and make sure those budgets are better than the huge cuts proposed. www.ascb.org/society-news...

Protect NIH and NSF Funding – Your Voice Is Urgently Needed - ASCB

In the next six weeks, Congressional committees will decide how much funding the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) will receive for Fiscal Year 2026. While ...

www.ascb.org

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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · Jun 11

If you missed the brave and articulate Jenna Norton - one of the hero researchers at #NIH who signed the Bethesda Declaration - on #NPR yesterday, check her extraordinary interview here.

one.npr.org?sharedMediaI...

#StandUpForScience
#BethesdaDeclaration
#SaveNIH
#StopTrump
#KillTheBill

🔊 Listen Now: NIH scientists sign Bethesda Declaration to protect biomedical science through Trump administration

Here & Now from WBUR on NPR One | 6:30

one.npr.org

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · Jun 9

Today, @nihfellowsunited.bsky.social staff sent a powerful letter to the NIH Director outlining serious concerns about the agency’s direction. Thousands have already signed in support—add your name. – Mary Munson, ASCB President www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...

Bethesda Declaration — STAND UP FOR SCIENCE

Support NIH Staff Now!

www.standupforscience.net

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Physghoul 👻 @physgal.bsky.social · May 29

So wrong 👩‍🔬#HigherEd

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · May 29

“You work so hard to put yourself in a position where you don’t have to worry, and then that’s taken away from you,” said Camila Valderrama-Martínez...She can get a job, but that “takes away time from my research and my time in lab and focusing on my studies and my thesis.” 🧪

Another casualty of Trump cuts? California students pursuing science research careers

At least 24 UC and Cal State campuses lost science research training grants that provided their students with annual stipends of $12,000 or more.

calmatters.org

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American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · May 9

Science is under attack. Proposed 40% NIH cut threatens jobs, research, and medical progress. Call your reps, governor, and mayor now—urge them to stand up for science.

www.ascb.org/science-poli...

NIH Research Funding at Risk—Take Action Now! - ASCB

Along with supporting important scientific discoveries, federally funded scientific research has significant impact on state and local economies. It is estimated that, on average, every $1 of National...

www.ascb.org

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · May 2

Four scientific societies file amicus brief in APHA vs NIH (ACLU and others) lawsuit. These are some of the organizations involved in the MOSAIC program.

asm.org/press-releas...

asm.org

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Liz Borkowski @lizborkowski.bsky.social · Mar 29

NIH has rescinded its scientific integrity policy. Hard to see this as anything other than clearing the way for shoddy research on things like vaccines. Regardless of the rationale, it's bad news for public health.

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

NOT-OD-25-080: Rescission of the Final Scientific Integrity Policy of the National Institutes of Health

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Rescission of the Final Scientific Integrity Policy of the National Institutes of Health NOT-OD-25-080. OD

grants.nih.gov

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Edward Nirenberg @enirenberg.bsky.social · Mar 29

Peter Marks’s resignation letter. Everyone should read this.

Peter Marks, MD, PhD
Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research U.S. Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20903
March 28, 2025
Sara Brenner, MD, MPH
Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20903
Dear Dr. Brenner:
It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to resign from FDA and retire from federal service as Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research effective April 5, 2025. I leave behind a staff of professionals who are undoubtedly the most devoted to protecting and promoting the public health of any group of people that I have encountered during my four decades working in the public and private sectors. I have always done my best to advocate for their well-being and I would ask that you do the same during this very difficult time during which their critical importance to the safety and security of our nation may be underappreciated.
Over the past years I have been involved in enhancing the safety of our nation's blood supply, in advancing the field of cell and gene therapy, and in responding to public health emergencies. In the last of these, during the COVID-19 pandemic I had the privilege of watching the vision that I conceived for Operation Warp Speed in March 2020 in collaboration with Dr. Robert Kadlec become a reality under the leadership of HHS Secretary Azar and President Trump due to the unwavering commitment of public servants at FDA and elsewhere across the government. At FDA, the tireless efforts of staff across the agency resulted in remarkably expediting the development of vaccines against the virus, meeting the standards for quality, safety, and effectiveness expected by the American public. The vaccines undoubtedly markedly reduced morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in the United States and elsewhere. Many of these same individuals applied learnings from the pandemic during a flawless response helping…

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KMW @kmwil.bsky.social · Mar 27

Hey @altnih4science.bsky.social share your story about how the Trump administration is hurting science. democraticleader.house.gov/shareyourstory

Share Your Story

Since January 20, Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Republicans' actions — many of them unconstitutional and in violation of federal law — have led to the firing of essential civil servants with responsibil...

democraticleader.house.gov

KMW @kmwil.bsky.social · Mar 23

That’s because he’s stupid.

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KMW @kmwil.bsky.social · Mar 12

If you are represented by a Democratic Senator, you need to call them and ask them to start objecting to unanimous consent requests. A little inconvenience is the least our leaders should have to deal with. Call the main switchboard at 202-224-3121.
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