Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Selma Masri

Cosimo Commisso @cosimocommisso.bsky.social · Jul 24

Excited to share work published in @cp-cancercell.bsky.social by @yijuan.bsky.social showing that macropinocytosis inhibition drives myCAF-to-iCAF conversion, enhancing therapeutic responses in pancreatic cancer. Thank you to our collaborators that contributed! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Macropinocytosis maintains CAF subtype identity under metabolic stress in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors are glutamine deficient, and both tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) rely on this ami…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · Jul 15

"Nature has learnt that … some staff members are screening candidates’ social-media presences to check whether they have expressed negative views about the Trump administration or been involved in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts … at their institutions."

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

Exclusive: NIH to dismiss dozens of grant reviewers to align with Trump priorities

The move would undo years of work, leaving advisory councils understaffed, and without the full expertise needed for reviews.

www.nature.com

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Selma Masri @masrilab.bsky.social · Jul 14

Congratulations!! 🎉🍾🎊

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 25

Science story about termination of terminations...

www.science.org/content/arti...

Following court order, NIH ceases new terminations of politically sensitive grants

After a judge told agency to restore hundreds of killed grants, NIH backs off plans to cancel more existing projects

www.science.org

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Nick Pannunzio @pannunziolab.bsky.social · Jun 24

A number of firsts this year including my first time participating in commencement @ucirvine.bsky.social and hooding my first 2 graduate students that have earned their PhDs!! Congratulations Valeria and Melissa! You are both amazing and this is only the beginning! 💪🧬🧪🦸‍♀️🦸‍♀️

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 18

The findings at the recent trial and today's Columbia chaos is pushing me to the edge.

I just sent the following email...

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 9

Here is a link you can blast out to all of your networks to ask them to consider signing on in support of our NIH heroes.

actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...

We are at 5000 folks who have signed on. But we can do better

Only for people who have ever been sick or knows someone who has been.

ADD YOUR NAME: Sign the Open Letter in Support of NIH Staff

Join the courageous and committed National Institutes of Health (NIH) public servants by adding your name now.

actionnetwork.org

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Selma Masri @masrilab.bsky.social · Jun 9

Looking forward to sharing our recent work at #SLEEP2025! Circadian Medicine session starting in about an hour and I’ll be discussing approaches to timing cancer immunotherapy. See you there!

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Anne Fausto-Sterling @birdlady.bsky.social · Jun 6

race does not equal genes
www.statnews.com/2025/06/05/n...

Massive NIH study challenges use of race as a proxy for genetic ancestry in research

A large government study shows that Americans’ self-reported race is a poor proxy for their genetic ancestry.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Hurley Lab @jenniferhurleylab.bsky.social · May 30

Thanks to @npr.org and the Shortwave podcast for covering circadian research! It was very cool to be on the podcast and on All Things Considered. And Kudos to Chris Hall for the exciting work.

www.npr.org/2025/05/29/n...

www.npr.org/2025/05/30/1...

This week in science: hawks hunting, infrared contacts and immunity through the day

Berly McCoy and Regina Barber of Short Wave talk about a hawk's clever hunting strategy, contacts that allow wearers to see infrared light, and how immunity varies during the day.

www.npr.org

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Nick Pannunzio @pannunziolab.bsky.social · May 28

Check out our latest story @natcancer.nature.com co-led with @masrilab.bsky.social that reviews how the circadian clock intersects several aspects of cancer biology. Excited to be part of this collaborative team effort to understand impacts on DNA repair, early onset cancer, and cancer treatment 💪🧬🕔

Selma Masri @masrilab.bsky.social · May 27

Super happy to share our latest in @natcancer.nature.com co-led by @pannunziolab.bsky.social! We review the complex role of the circadian clock in genome integrity, DNA repair, immunity, metabolism, and cancer with a specific focus on early-onset cancer. Check it out!

www.nature.com/articles/s43...

The diverse roles of the circadian clock in cancer - Nature Cancer

Masri and colleagues review the latest studies on the influence of circadian rhythms in cancer biology, discussing possible connections between chronobiology and cancer prevention and treatment.

www.nature.com

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Selma Masri @masrilab.bsky.social · May 27

Congratulations to first author Bridget Fortin, a true rockstar! Also, a huge shout out to our phenomenal collaborators on this piece, @yincaoscd.bsky.social and Katja Lamia. This was a true team effort!

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Selma Masri @masrilab.bsky.social · May 27

Super happy to share our latest in @natcancer.nature.com co-led by @pannunziolab.bsky.social! We review the complex role of the circadian clock in genome integrity, DNA repair, immunity, metabolism, and cancer with a specific focus on early-onset cancer. Check it out!

www.nature.com/articles/s43...

The diverse roles of the circadian clock in cancer - Nature Cancer

Masri and colleagues review the latest studies on the influence of circadian rhythms in cancer biology, discussing possible connections between chronobiology and cancer prevention and treatment.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Tallie Z Baram @talliezee.bsky.social · May 16

Celebrating UCI school of medicine graduate students 🧪🧠 . You are the future of #science @ucirvine.bsky.social @cnlm.bsky.social @neurohoke.bsky.social

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · May 15

I just emailed my state representatives to support Newsom's new budget for UC. If you agree that this economic and social engine for California needs robust state support, please join me.

universityofcalifornia.quorum.us/campaign/sta...

Time for Action!

Urge legislators to fund UC!

universityofcalifornia.quorum.us

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Selma Masri @masrilab.bsky.social · May 13

Congratulations to the team!!

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Claudio Cantù @claudiocantu81.bsky.social · May 12

We had previously shown that TBX3 and #WNT cooperate in limb #DevBio

We now have a shocking finding, just published in @pnas.org

TBX3 physically engages with β-catenin to drive metastasis genes in #ColorectalCancer (CRC)

www.pnas.org/doi/epub/10....

The developmental factor TBX3 engages with the Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional complex in colorectal cancer to regulate metastasis genes

www.pnas.org

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Pierfrancesco Pagella @ppagella86.bsky.social · May 13

Fresh out of press: our new chapter on the TBX3/WNT liaison, and how it drives metastasis-related genes expression in colorectal cancer, out on @pnas.org

Enjoy the “bluetorial” by @claudiocantu81.bsky.social below! 👇🏼

#WNT #CRC @liu.se

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Cosimo Commisso @cosimocommisso.bsky.social · May 11

New preprint! 🧓⚡️ Aging drives immune exclusion & metastasis in PDAC by rewiring the tumor stroma. Young CAFs ♻️ rejuvenate the aged microenvironment & restore immune infiltration.
Read: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

#PDAC #Aging #TumorMicroenvironment #Preprint

The Aging Microenvironment as a Determinant of Immune Exclusion and Metastatic Fate in Pancreatic Cancer

Aging is a critical yet understudied determinant in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Despite a strong epidemiological association with age, conventional PDAC preclinical models fail to capture...

www.biorxiv.org

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Selma Masri @masrilab.bsky.social · Apr 29

Just watched this episode. John Oliver did an outstanding job breaking everything down, even what indirects costs are! It’s our job to get all this information out, especially to inform the general public. This needs to stop. Now.

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Apr 28

Here is the link to the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver about RFK, Jr, public health, and HHS (including NIH)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H34...

RFK Jr. & HHS: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight

www.youtube.com

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Apr 25

Sunday TV viewing...More to come later

Lead story about NIH...

www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-news-and...

Paramount Press Express | “60 MINUTES” LISTINGS FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 27

Airs 7:00-8:00 PM, ET/ PT on the CBS Television Network NIH – In its ongoing mission to shrink the federal government, the Trump administration has cut

www.paramountpressexpress.com

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Science Magazine @science.org · Apr 23

President Donald Trump’s administration appears to be killing much, if not all, of a historic initiative that was the first, and is still the largest, National Institutes of Health effort centered on the health needs of women. scim.ag/4jLeLTJ

NIH cancels its first and largest study centered on women

The Women’s Health Initiative has produced numerous influential findings

scim.ag

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Reposted by Selma Masri

Ashani Weeraratna @ashi-w.bsky.social · Apr 22

This breaks my heart in ways I can’t quite describe.

Mary Brandt, MD, MDiv @drmlb.bsky.social · Apr 22

"We are close to 300 [worshipers] but nowadays we are only less than 150. People are sick at home," says Chondwe — or Pastor Billy as everyone calls him... People are falling ill because the U.S.-funded clinics where they got their HIV medications and care have suddenly been shuttered.