Summer Thyme
@sthyme.bsky.social
2.6K followers 280 following 10 posts
Associate Professor @ UMass Chan Medical School BMB Department; PhD @ UW Baker Lab; PD @ Schier Lab; Down Syndrome, ID, zebrafish, computation, protein engineering. MomX3!
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Reposted by Summer Thyme
jeremymberg.bsky.social
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT

Please watch the workshop video and COMMENT by 5:00 Monday 7/14

This is the source of the "no more model organism only grants in NIH-funded research" decree.
labonnelab.bsky.social
Dear all, PLEASE add comments on the importance of model organism research at this link:
Reposted by Summer Thyme
cherishardinger.bsky.social
Public comments have been opened back up!

Research with animals is critical for providing evidence-based knowledge in the pursuit of human health. Broadly reducing research projects with animals threatens public health and will greatly stall the development of new therapeutics for diseases!
FDA-NIH Workshop: Reducing Animal Testing
The FDA is hosting a workshop on reducing animal testing. The workshop is open to current FDA and NIH employees.
www.fda.gov
Reposted by Summer Thyme
maureenjohnsonbooks.com
"There have been many funding cuts to cancer research, and it's playing out many ways. Here are a few stories from people I know. I spend time in cancer circles. I am an recliner advocate nowadays.
Brooke is 24 years old, has a baby and a toddler, and has stage 4 B-cell lymphoma..."
Reposted by Summer Thyme
altnih4science.bsky.social
We get news of an apparent breakthrough in pancreatic cancer — usually a death sentence, one of the cancers with the worst outcomes — and Trump and Musk are blowing up NIH and with it future cancer cures.

The American people didn’t vote for this.
Not even close to 49.8% did.
prasad.bsky.social
current status of American science in two posts:
existential crisis vs transformative breakthrough

a metastable state that will collapse into one future or the other
Reposted by Summer Thyme
sailorrooscout.bsky.social
THIS IS HUGE! A cancer vaccine developed by Yale University and DFCI shows MAJOR promise. Results of an early-phase trial reveal ALL patients with ADVANCED stage kidney cancer had successful anti-cancer immune responses AND have remained CANCER-FREE approximately THREE years after treatment. 🧪🧵⬇️
Reposted by Summer Thyme
altnih4science.bsky.social
One of the remarkable things about #NIH is how rigorously its grants, research, and employees are reviewed. NIH science and scientists are held to a high standard by external reviewers — via study sections and councils, or BSC/site visit reviewers. And the reviews have teeth. 🧪
gdenisboston.bsky.social
I’ve served as one of several invited external reviewers for evaluation of an intramural division. The process was rigorous, detailed, and we external reviewers were not afraid to give sharp feedback. Program leadership heard it earnestly; the quality of the intramural science was extraordinary.
Reposted by Summer Thyme
mayorwu.boston.gov
The City of Boston is leading 40+ mayors, cities, and counties in an amicus brief against the Trump Administration's drastic and illegal cuts to federal research funding—cuts that will lead to immediate job losses nationwide.
COALITION OF MAYORS ACROSS U.S. FILE AMICUS BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DRASTIC CUTS TO FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDING
Led by the City of Boston, MA, City of Cleveland, OH, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, TN, the Mayor of Gainesville, FL, and the Mayor of Salt Lake City, UT, over 40 mayors, cities, and counties argue that NIH cuts will cause job losses, economic disruption, and undermine U.S. competitiveness

BOSTON - Thursday, February 20, 2025 - Late yesterday, Mayor Michelle Wu co-led a coalition of Mayors from across the United States in writing and filing an amicus brief in federal district court in Boston to stop the Trump Administration's drastic and illegal cuts to federal research funding and immediate job losses in cities nationwide. Over 40 mayors, cities, and counties from across the country joined the brief. These cities are home to universities and hospitals that employ hundreds of thousands of Americans in cutting edge medical and scientific research, and the federally-funded research in these communities has made the United States the global leader in scientific discovery. The brief seeks a temporary restraining order against the Trump Administration, alongside the research universities, medical schools, hospitals, and 22 states that are plaintiffs in the three cases filed last week in federal district court.

“For decades, Congress has made a clear choice to use federally-funded research to invest in cities, build a broadly-distributed infrastructure for scientific discovery, create jobs, and drive economic growth in communities across the United States,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We join with cities across the country – in red states, purple states, and blue states – to stop this illegal action that will cause layoffs, lab closures, and undermine scientific progress in American cities. I thank Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell for her leadership on behalf of the research institutions of Boston.” This amicus brief is in response to the abrupt February 7, 2025 announcement by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of an immediate reduction in funding for scientific and medical research institutions across the country. Under the NIH’s new policy, which temporarily went into effect on Monday, February 10, payments for indirect costs reimbursed to research universities would be capped at 15%, down from 30-70%. The brief makes clear that NIH funding cuts would devastate research institutions in cities across the county, cause job losses, create severe economic disruption, and undermine a critical pillar of strength and civic pride in cities across the United States. The cuts would also undermine critical medical and scientific research that residents are counting on, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and jeopardize the cities’ and country’s position of global leadership on scientific advancement.
“The Gainesville community depends on this highly efficient, dependable investment of our tax dollars back into our city’s innovation economy,” said Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida. “I’m glad to join other mayors in highlighting the vital role NIH funding plays in the lives of everyday hardworking American families.” 
“The breadth and diversity of this coalition highlights the devastating and widespread impact of these NIH funding changes, from Alzheimer’s research to cancer clinical trials,” said Jill Habig, Founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “We’re proud to partner with mayors, cities, and counties in opposing this threat to critical federal funding and the health and vitality of our communities.”
On Monday, February 10th, twenty two states and associations of medical schools, hospitals, and universities, filed three related cases, and secured a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump Administration from slashing the reimbursement rates. That initial order will be revisited this week in a hearing scheduled for Feb. 21. The Public Rights Project served as amici counsel. The full list of mayors, cities and counties who joined the brief is below. 



Local Governments and Mayors



City of Boston, Massachusetts
City of Cleveland, Ohio
Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee
Erin Mendenhall, Mayor, City of Salt Lake City, Utah
City of Alameda, California
City of Albuquerque, New Mexico 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
City of Baltimore, Maryland 
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Mayor, City of Burlington, Vermont
Township of Canton, Michigan
Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
City of Chicago, Illinois 
Sandra Welch, Mayor, City of Coconut Creek, Florida
City of Columbus, Ohio
City of Easthampton, Massachusetts
Daniel Biss, Mayor, City of Evanston, Illinois
City of Fairfax, Virginia
Harris County, Texas
Ravinder S. Bhalla, Mayor, City of Hoboken, New Jersey
Quinton Lucas, Mayor, Kansas City, Missouri
Indya Kincannon, Mayor, City of Knoxville, Tennessee
City of Madison, Wisconsin
Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor, City of Millcreek, Utah
Anissa Welch, Mayor, City of Milton, Wisconsin
Montgomery County, Maryland
City of New Haven, Connecticut
Dontae Payne, Mayor, City of Olympia, Washington 
Adrian O. Mapp, Mayor, City of Plainfield, New Jersey
Sue Noack, Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill, California
City of Pittsburgh and Ed Gainey, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
City of Providence, Rhode Island 
John Clark, Mayor, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
City of Rochester, New York
City of Sacramento, California 
City and County of San Francisco, California
City of Santa Monica, California
Constantine H. Kutteh, Mayor, City of Statesville, North Carolina
Lisa Brown, Mayor, City of Spokane, Washington
Tishaura O. Jones, Mayor, City of St. Louis, Missouri 
City of St. Paul, Minnesota
Dennis R. McBride, Mayor, City of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Reposted by Summer Thyme
rhuganir.bsky.social
Reaching out to all Americans through the media to explain how decreasing funding of the NIH will have irreversible harm for developing therapies for all diseases. Please spread the word to your families and friends and contact your congressional representatives.
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Science under siege: Trump cuts threaten to undermine decades of research
Sweeping layoffs, funding freezes and executive orders have provoked outcry among federal researchers and their university partners, who fear that science itself is under siege.
www.nbcnews.com
Reposted by Summer Thyme
elizabethhead.bsky.social
This is incredibly stressful to our Alzheimer's community (families and researchers). There are Alzheimer Disease Research Centers that are in limbo now - no council meetings means no notice of awards, means all the research we are doing to slow or prevent this disease is paused indefinitely.
macauleylab.bsky.social
This. 👇👇👇👇

No study sections, no council meetings = nothing funded. If it's not in the federal register, not happening. Nothing in there after 2/20/25 re: NIH.

Era commons is not being updated. Still says my Advisory Council Meeting was held on 1/28/25 at 3pm. It was not.

Clearly.

1/2
metabodave.bsky.social
I still don't think it's sunk in to many that after February 20th, there ain't no study sections.
Reposted by Summer Thyme
elizabethjacobs.bsky.social
The court ordered that NIH grant funding be unfrozen, so The Regime found a way around it. For NIH grants to be funded, a review panel must rank them. In order for a review panel to meet, they must post it on the Federal Register. Submissions to the Federal Register are now on hold “indefinitely”.
Reposted by Summer Thyme
altnih4science.bsky.social
Important article. This center was taking new approaches to studying Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Everyone who knows someone with dementia is being hurt by Trump’s cuts to medical research. 🧪
gregsargent.bsky.social
Scoop --> Trump-Musk cuts just resulted in the firing of numerous top researchers at NIH's center for combating Alzheimer's, sources tell me. They predict big setbacks to fighting dementias.

This cause was once championed by *Republicans.*

Details here:
newrepublic.com/article/1917...
Oops: Trump-Musk Cuts Just Wrecked an NIH Org Championed by GOPers
Republicans once lavished praise on an NIH center that deals with Alzheimer’s. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are hobbling it. What will they say now?
newrepublic.com
Reposted by Summer Thyme
us.theguardian.com
Scientists studying neuroscience, diabetes, autism and bird flu became emotional as they spoke to the Guardian about the possibility of losing their life’s work.
Trump cuts threaten a ‘generation of scientists’ as many weigh leaving US
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Summer Thyme
standupforscience.bsky.social
The MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles infection.

But infants under 12 months old are not eligible for the vaccine, leaving them vulnerable.

When measles spreads due to low vaccination rates, it puts our youngest—and most defenseless—children at the greatest risk.
crockett.house.gov
In 2019, RFK Jr visited Samoa to spread anti-vax lies, spurring a measles outbreak that led to the deaths of 83 people - mostly children.

We can’t let that tragedy repeat in Texas. The MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles. Let’s stop the spread.

www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-m...
Measles outbreak in Texas rises to at least 58 cases — the state's worst in over 30 years
A measles outbreak in Texas​ has led to 58 confirmed cases, making it the state's worst in over 30 years — and local health officials say additional cases​ are likely to occur.
www.cbsnews.com
Reposted by Summer Thyme
docbecca.bsky.social
If anyone has been in touch with press covering the NIH situation broadly (firings, funding freeze etc), please encourage them to cover the sinister way in which HHS is preventing grant review and funding from happening, by blocking posting to the Federal Register.
labonnelab.bsky.social
HHS blocked posting indefinitely. Not enough press is being given to this back door approach to blocking NIH grants. If and when it is lifted will still be 35 days before study sections can be held
boehninglab.com
Still no SS meetings being posted to the Federal Register. www.federalregister.gov/documents/se...
Reposted by Summer Thyme
altnih4science.bsky.social
We are hearing that Andy Singleton, director of a new and promising Alzheimer's research center at NIH, just announced his resignation.

This will disrupt innovative new Alzheimer's work to go beyond the "amyloid hypothesis." Bad news for anyone who's been touched by this disease. 🧪
Reposted by Summer Thyme
leahgreenberg.bsky.social
the richest man in the world has decided that your kids don't deserve special education programs
A screenshot of an email notifying Spotsylvania parents that funding for a program for youth with disabilities has been canceled
Reposted by Summer Thyme
rrmaclean.bsky.social
I'm #standingupforscience because when I was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma in 2018, I was terrified. The survival statistics for my type of melanoma was around 20%. But these statistics did not include the lives saved from the recent NCI and CRI funded studies of immunotherapy drugs. 1/6
Reposted by Summer Thyme
mads100tist.bsky.social
Talk to your neighbors. Talk to your family. Talk to your friends. Tell everyone what is happening and why science matters (this is not a USA-only post, because we know this is happening everywhere)
daslabpombe.com
Just talked to a friend whose spouse is a contractor for the VA. They are worried about their job and their future. But what shocked me was that they had no clue what happened at NIH, USDA, CDC, NOAA. The word is simply not getting out. The average American just doesn't know.
Reposted by Summer Thyme
altnih4science.bsky.social
Please help NIH: speak to the press, speak to your local TV, tell everyone you know:

Trump and Musk are killing cancer research.

They’re chasing science out of the US, making the US poorer.

Thank you for what you’re doing. /end
Reposted by Summer Thyme
avaskham.bsky.social
Hey neuroscientists: were you, your lab or any of your ongoing projects caught up in any of the latest NIH firings? You can find me on Signal at avaskham.54 if you want to chat. 🧪

#neuroskyence