Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
@mcfreeid.bsky.social
virologist, peds ID doc, musical theatre enthusiast, y’all-er in yinzburgh. Product of UKy, Vandy MSTP, CHP PedSTP.
#IDsky #lovevirology
mcfreelab.org
#IDsky #lovevirology
mcfreelab.org
I couldn’t WAIT to get nirsevimab for my baby. He barely noticed when RSV circulated in his class. It was amazing. Starkly different from when my older child had RSV as an infant and nearly needed to go to the hospital.
"In this multicenter case-control investigation, nirsevimab was 80% effective at preventing RSV-associated ICU admission and 83% effective at preventing acute respiratory failure"
More good news about RSV prevention - #IDSky + #MedSky.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
More good news about RSV prevention - #IDSky + #MedSky.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
Nirsevimab Effectiveness Against Intensive Care Unit ...
This report describes a multicenter case-control investigation that found nirsevimab was 80% effective at preventing RSV-associated ICU admissions among infants.
www.cdc.gov
November 21, 2025 at 11:30 AM
I couldn’t WAIT to get nirsevimab for my baby. He barely noticed when RSV circulated in his class. It was amazing. Starkly different from when my older child had RSV as an infant and nearly needed to go to the hospital.
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
“Since 1998, independent researchers have conducted more than 40 high-quality studies involving over 5.6 million people. The conclusion is clear and unambiguous: There’s no link between vaccines and autism." -Dr. Susan Kressly, AAP President on recent changes to the CDC's website
November 20, 2025 at 3:24 PM
“Since 1998, independent researchers have conducted more than 40 high-quality studies involving over 5.6 million people. The conclusion is clear and unambiguous: There’s no link between vaccines and autism." -Dr. Susan Kressly, AAP President on recent changes to the CDC's website
Honored to be selected for @socpedresearch.bsky.social and always looking forward to what my team will do next. 🦠
Congrats to Megan Freeman, Kelsey Schweiberger, and Vikram Raghu for their recent elections to the Society for Pediatric Research! Read more about it on our newsfeed here: www.pediatrics.pitt.edu/news/three-n...
@news.upmc.com @pittdeptofmed.bsky.social @socpedresearch.bsky.social
@news.upmc.com @pittdeptofmed.bsky.social @socpedresearch.bsky.social
November 17, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Honored to be selected for @socpedresearch.bsky.social and always looking forward to what my team will do next. 🦠
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
You can never be sorry enough for dropping the “h” at the end of Pittsburgh.
That h really classes up the name, you know, makes it sound like the home of a Scottish Laird n’at.
Cheers to Raleig for owning this treachery.
That h really classes up the name, you know, makes it sound like the home of a Scottish Laird n’at.
Cheers to Raleig for owning this treachery.
November 8, 2025 at 7:06 PM
You can never be sorry enough for dropping the “h” at the end of Pittsburgh.
That h really classes up the name, you know, makes it sound like the home of a Scottish Laird n’at.
Cheers to Raleig for owning this treachery.
That h really classes up the name, you know, makes it sound like the home of a Scottish Laird n’at.
Cheers to Raleig for owning this treachery.
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Six Pasteur scientists win 2025 L’Oréal-UNESCO Young Talents! 🌟 Yolène: Caribbean plants vs dengue mozzies; Leah: gastruloid biophysics; Marion: cancer immunotherapy; Eulalie: menstruation genetics; Sabrina: fixing hearing nerve; Marie: TB & sarcoid immunity. #WomenInScience
October 15, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Six Pasteur scientists win 2025 L’Oréal-UNESCO Young Talents! 🌟 Yolène: Caribbean plants vs dengue mozzies; Leah: gastruloid biophysics; Marion: cancer immunotherapy; Eulalie: menstruation genetics; Sabrina: fixing hearing nerve; Marie: TB & sarcoid immunity. #WomenInScience
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
🧪A good perspective.
Mothers from the 1950s, who saw how polio affected children's lives would like a word.
For every $ spent on the MMR vaccine, the healthcare system saves $13. Now, The direct medical costs of a measles case is $1793. This translates to $~1.79B/yr for Americans.
Mothers from the 1950s, who saw how polio affected children's lives would like a word.
For every $ spent on the MMR vaccine, the healthcare system saves $13. Now, The direct medical costs of a measles case is $1793. This translates to $~1.79B/yr for Americans.
RFK Jr. says vaccines don’t save lives. He’s wrong
Now RFK Jr. is claiming vaccines don’t actually save lives. Here’s the math to show what he gets wrong.
www.statnews.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:23 PM
🧪A good perspective.
Mothers from the 1950s, who saw how polio affected children's lives would like a word.
For every $ spent on the MMR vaccine, the healthcare system saves $13. Now, The direct medical costs of a measles case is $1793. This translates to $~1.79B/yr for Americans.
Mothers from the 1950s, who saw how polio affected children's lives would like a word.
For every $ spent on the MMR vaccine, the healthcare system saves $13. Now, The direct medical costs of a measles case is $1793. This translates to $~1.79B/yr for Americans.
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Job alert ‼️ UChicago Micro is hiring! Open to tenured/tenure track faculty at all levels in any area of microbiology. Come join our amazing and growing department. apply.interfolio.com/174404
October 4, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Job alert ‼️ UChicago Micro is hiring! Open to tenured/tenure track faculty at all levels in any area of microbiology. Come join our amazing and growing department. apply.interfolio.com/174404
Viruses will always be relevant.
Nearly 100 people got sick from norovirus on a royal Caribbean cruise. 100% guaranteed this is a lot more miserable than it sounds because norovirus don't play.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/t...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/t...
Norovirus Outbreak Sickens Nearly 100 on Royal Caribbean Cruise
www.nytimes.com
October 4, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Viruses will always be relevant.
We Are Not Going to ‘Solve’ Autism. And That’s OK. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/o...
A beautiful piece by an anthropologist and father of a daughter with autism. “Good science takes years, not months.”
A beautiful piece by an anthropologist and father of a daughter with autism. “Good science takes years, not months.”
Opinion | We Are Not Going to ‘Solve’ Autism. And That’s OK.
www.nytimes.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:20 PM
We Are Not Going to ‘Solve’ Autism. And That’s OK. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/o...
A beautiful piece by an anthropologist and father of a daughter with autism. “Good science takes years, not months.”
A beautiful piece by an anthropologist and father of a daughter with autism. “Good science takes years, not months.”
Check us out! Recruiting new colleagues!
🚨 Microbiologists! We are recruiting Assistant / Associate Professors in 3 collaborative areas of our U. Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
1) MMG (my dept): fundamental research in med micro
2) Peds ID / I4Kids institute
3) Center for Vaccine Research
🔗 to all 3 w/info: www.linkedin.com/posts/vaughn...
1) MMG (my dept): fundamental research in med micro
2) Peds ID / I4Kids institute
3) Center for Vaccine Research
🔗 to all 3 w/info: www.linkedin.com/posts/vaughn...
Faculty Professor Associate - Full-Time | Vaughn Cooper
We are recruiting Faculty microbiologists in three (3) different, complementary, and collaborative areas at the University of Pittsburgh associated with the School of Medicine.
1) Fundamental researc...
www.linkedin.com
September 23, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Check us out! Recruiting new colleagues!
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Many studies have shown that there is no relationship between MMR vaccine and the development of autism. Here are two of the best.
This one followed every single child born in Denmark from 1991 through 1998 (n=537,303). There was no association.
This one followed every single child born in Denmark from 1991 through 1998 (n=537,303). There was no association.
A Population-Based Study of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination and Autism | NEJM
It has been suggested that vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) is
a cause of autism. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all children born
in Denmark from January 1991 th...
www.nejm.org
September 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Many studies have shown that there is no relationship between MMR vaccine and the development of autism. Here are two of the best.
This one followed every single child born in Denmark from 1991 through 1998 (n=537,303). There was no association.
This one followed every single child born in Denmark from 1991 through 1998 (n=537,303). There was no association.
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
25% of Drs in US are foreign grads. Many are on an H1B visa. This will hit health systems hard especially rural hospitals and hospitals in underserved areas that sponsor these visas through waiver programs. The old cost was about 5000$ a year.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump signs proclamation imposing annual $100,000 fee on H-1B visas
Move deals potentially major blow to US tech industry, which relies heavily on workers from India and China
www.theguardian.com
September 20, 2025 at 11:37 AM
25% of Drs in US are foreign grads. Many are on an H1B visa. This will hit health systems hard especially rural hospitals and hospitals in underserved areas that sponsor these visas through waiver programs. The old cost was about 5000$ a year.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Human myelinated brain organoids with integrated microglia can be used to investigate demyelination, remyelination, and remyelinating therapies
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 10, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Human myelinated brain organoids with integrated microglia can be used to investigate demyelination, remyelination, and remyelinating therapies
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
The second to last child in this line to get his polio shot is none other than my friend @jimalwine.bsky.social.
You know what’s even cooler? He went on to became a famous virologist who was one of the inventors of the Northern Blot.
He wrote a blog post about this, which can be found below.
You know what’s even cooler? He went on to became a famous virologist who was one of the inventors of the Northern Blot.
He wrote a blog post about this, which can be found below.
September 11, 2025 at 5:03 PM
The second to last child in this line to get his polio shot is none other than my friend @jimalwine.bsky.social.
You know what’s even cooler? He went on to became a famous virologist who was one of the inventors of the Northern Blot.
He wrote a blog post about this, which can be found below.
You know what’s even cooler? He went on to became a famous virologist who was one of the inventors of the Northern Blot.
He wrote a blog post about this, which can be found below.
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Really incredible effort by the indefatigable @nurseteria.bsky.social to raise awareness of what we are going to bring back by stripping access to vaccination 👇🏻
"The group brings together hundreds of grandparents nationwide who lived through diseases such as polio, tuberculosis and measles — illnesses once thought eliminated in the United States..."
www.kgw.com/article/news...
www.kgw.com/article/news...
Grandparents for Vaccines launches to share stories of life before immunizations
New volunteer group aims to educate parents about vaccine importance by sharing personal experiences with preventable diseases.
www.kgw.com
September 9, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Really incredible effort by the indefatigable @nurseteria.bsky.social to raise awareness of what we are going to bring back by stripping access to vaccination 👇🏻
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Acetaminophen/Tylenol use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analysis. This suggests associations observed in other, less rigorous analyses may have been attributable to familial confounding (aka erroneous finding):
Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability
This nationwide cohort study with sibling control analysis examines the association of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability.
jamanetwork.com
September 5, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Acetaminophen/Tylenol use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analysis. This suggests associations observed in other, less rigorous analyses may have been attributable to familial confounding (aka erroneous finding):
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Florida Decided There Were Too Many Children
Florida Decided There Were Too Many Children
The state’s elimination of vaccine mandates is a courageous first step toward decluttering itself of any excess kids.
www.theatlantic.com
September 4, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Florida Decided There Were Too Many Children
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Must read -
Powerful warning to the nation as @drdemetre.bsky.social resigns as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and posts this post on X.
Well done, Sir! 🔥💪
“My resignation letter from CDC.
Dear Dr. Houry,
1/x
Powerful warning to the nation as @drdemetre.bsky.social resigns as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and posts this post on X.
Well done, Sir! 🔥💪
“My resignation letter from CDC.
Dear Dr. Houry,
1/x
August 28, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Must read -
Powerful warning to the nation as @drdemetre.bsky.social resigns as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and posts this post on X.
Well done, Sir! 🔥💪
“My resignation letter from CDC.
Dear Dr. Houry,
1/x
Powerful warning to the nation as @drdemetre.bsky.social resigns as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and posts this post on X.
Well done, Sir! 🔥💪
“My resignation letter from CDC.
Dear Dr. Houry,
1/x
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
New York Times story with profiles of researchers whose grants were terminated.
[Gift Link]
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/o...
[Gift Link]
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/o...
Opinion | America First? Not When It Comes to Your Health.
www.nytimes.com
August 24, 2025 at 1:08 PM
New York Times story with profiles of researchers whose grants were terminated.
[Gift Link]
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/o...
[Gift Link]
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/o...
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Scientists are still talking about the advanced #LiverOrganoid developed by experts @cincychildrens.bsky.social and the Institute of Science Tokyo. Congrats to Takanori Takebe and colleagues!
Study: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New story: www.biotechniques.com/cell-and-tis...
Study: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New story: www.biotechniques.com/cell-and-tis...
Liver cells self-organize to form vascularized liver organoid
Using a novel 3D culture system, an international team of researchers have created the first vascularized liver organoid.
www.biotechniques.com
August 19, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Scientists are still talking about the advanced #LiverOrganoid developed by experts @cincychildrens.bsky.social and the Institute of Science Tokyo. Congrats to Takanori Takebe and colleagues!
Study: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New story: www.biotechniques.com/cell-and-tis...
Study: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New story: www.biotechniques.com/cell-and-tis...
I’m so excited that our collaborative work with @dermodylab.bsky.social and @jgecko77.bsky.social is now published in @jclinical-invest.bsky.social! I’ll plan to do a full unroll soon, but for now, here’s the link: www.jci.org/articles/vie...
JCI -
Immune cells promote paralytic disease in mice infected with enterovirus D68
www.jci.org
August 6, 2025 at 9:21 AM
I’m so excited that our collaborative work with @dermodylab.bsky.social and @jgecko77.bsky.social is now published in @jclinical-invest.bsky.social! I’ll plan to do a full unroll soon, but for now, here’s the link: www.jci.org/articles/vie...
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Hey #IDSky 👋 - working on growing the network for our BlueSky account after relocating from that other place (🤫)…
Follow us for the best of ID training and #IDSky. Let us hear from you so we can follow you!
UWID Fellowship - your place for ID news, publications and education. #allarewelcomehere
Follow us for the best of ID training and #IDSky. Let us hear from you so we can follow you!
UWID Fellowship - your place for ID news, publications and education. #allarewelcomehere
August 2, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Hey #IDSky 👋 - working on growing the network for our BlueSky account after relocating from that other place (🤫)…
Follow us for the best of ID training and #IDSky. Let us hear from you so we can follow you!
UWID Fellowship - your place for ID news, publications and education. #allarewelcomehere
Follow us for the best of ID training and #IDSky. Let us hear from you so we can follow you!
UWID Fellowship - your place for ID news, publications and education. #allarewelcomehere
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
1. I am glad CDC scientists are continuing to do important public health and outbreak reporting in very challenging times .
2. Here is the just published MMR report on an outbreak of Salmonella linked to commercial raw milk in CA.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
2. Here is the just published MMR report on an outbreak of Salmonella linked to commercial raw milk in CA.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium Infections Linked ...
This report describes a Salmonella outbreak linked to ...
www.cdc.gov
July 25, 2025 at 7:29 PM
1. I am glad CDC scientists are continuing to do important public health and outbreak reporting in very challenging times .
2. Here is the just published MMR report on an outbreak of Salmonella linked to commercial raw milk in CA.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
2. Here is the just published MMR report on an outbreak of Salmonella linked to commercial raw milk in CA.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
Reposted by Megan Culler Freeman MD, PhD
Come visit us at the ASV table and win some virology swag! We’ll be open this morning 8:30-10:30 AM and this afternoon from 2:00-4:00 PM. #ASV2025 #LoveVirology
July 16, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Come visit us at the ASV table and win some virology swag! We’ll be open this morning 8:30-10:30 AM and this afternoon from 2:00-4:00 PM. #ASV2025 #LoveVirology