I've admittedly often complained about high indirect costs on my grants (my worst offender was Jackson Labs at 90%), but indirect costs are critical in supporting fundamental academic research.

Here's a great infographic showing where these funds go:

I submitted a grant to AHRQ last month with a review scheduled next week

Reached out to PO to see if it’s still meeting. Email returned; no longer works there

Reached out to other contact and learned the study section is cancelled

Scientific progress across the board is being unilaterally halted.

The entire public health/biopharma sector has been disrupted. Some personal anecdotes/impacts:
- Job offers before Monday rescinded (NIH)
- Travel plans for the year cancelled (NIH)
- Grants essentially frozen
- No disease surveillance comms
- No more diversity for agencies AND clinical trials (??)

Not just a hiring freeze. Per my friend at NIH, job offers made before Monday are being rescinded.

First snow on the first day of winter here in New York ❄️

I was watching the Macy’s parade and was surprised to see my old high school performing! (Wouldn’t be surprised if some of them are my friends’ kids…)

Great read. For those that forgot or are unaware, Jay was an author of The Great Barrington Declaration, which discouraged masks and other interventions before we had vaccines for COVID. This was a wrong, dangerous policy — a gravely concerning sign for the new head of NIH.

Starting in January, the NIH review process will be simplified with only three review criteria. I think this is great, as novice investigators are less likely to be penalized in the scoring. (Plus easier when reviewing applications!)

Some other changes coming:

grants.nih.gov/policy-and-c...

A nice reminder from Stifel/Our World in Data on the efficacy of vaccines:

One of the biggest sources of misinformation during the pandemic naturally is a possible choice to lead NIH. This would be disastrous.