W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist
@wallenmiller.bsky.social
110 followers 56 following 22 posts
Professor: Plant Pathology, Entomology & Microbiology (and Biochem, Biophys & Mol Biol) Iowa State University Research: Positive strand RNA viruses, bizarre translation mechanisms
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Reposted by W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist
asm.org
ASM @asm.org · Sep 3
As national medical, scientific, public health and patient organizations, we call for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to ensure the health of the American people. Read our statement: asm.org/press-releas...
Joint Statement Calling for Secretary Kennedy Resignation
The American Society for Microbiology released a joint statement calling for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
asm.org
wallenmiller.bsky.social
Finally! Translon: A term for the sequence that actually gets translated. ORF or CDS just won't do when you work with viruses that break the rules by frameshifting, readthrough, non-AUG starts, etc. Thank you Pavel Baranov et al! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Translon: a single term for translated regions - Nature Methods
Nature Methods - Translon: a single term for translated regions
www.nature.com
Reposted by W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist
angierasmussen.bsky.social
Virology as a field is facing hard times ahead. I’m grateful to my friend and colleague @shanluliu.bsky.social for stepping up to lead our community as we face this challenge. Lfg, Shan-Lu! 💪🏻✊🏻
shanluliu.bsky.social
I am honored to serve as president of the American society for Virology, thank you for your support. I wish to thank our past president Hector Aguilar-Carreno for a wonderful service and look forward to working with everyone.
wallenmiller.bsky.social
Didn't know we are still planting elm trees this century. I have a couple healthy old ones in my yard, but park my car right near this one. 😬 www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2RM...
Dutch Elm Disease Explained: A Tree's Tragic Decline
YouTube video by Integrated Pest Management
www.youtube.com
wallenmiller.bsky.social
Sadly, “Trump’s polls are plummeting” is a gross exaggeration.
wallenmiller.bsky.social
If not on ketamine then what’s his excuse?
wallenmiller.bsky.social
Miller lab Graduate student Jahanara Sonia presenting her first poster at the RNA Society meeting! #RNA25 #RNA2025 on the translation mechanisms of a puzzling new genus of Tombusviruses.
wallenmiller.bsky.social
We all are going to die A LOT SOONER because Joni and all the other Republicans approved RFK Jr as head of HHS!
Reposted by W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist
dangaristo.bsky.social
In light of the skinny budget (55.8% reduction), 6 past NSF directors and 7 NSB chairs have sent the House Committee on Appropriations a letter advising doubling the NSF budget.

"We face a fork in the road. Do we want to win or concede the race for new knowledge and a competitive STEM workforce?"
Key paragraph of letter: 
We believe these challenges can be met, but not with the draconian budget plan and staffing reductions just released
by OMB. Such a budget would thwart scientific progress, decimate the research workforce, and take a decade or
more to recover. Achieving the President’s vision requires a major enhancement of the NSF budget, ideally a doubling
of the FY25 level over the next few years and sufficient staff to execute this vision. In the current political climate, we
know this is a bold request. We make it, nonetheless, to say -- if we truly wish to realize this vision, we must commit to
a historic investment in fundamental research and education in a manner that leaves no doubt about the United
States’ intentions with our international competitors.
We face a fork in the road. Do we want to win or concede the race for new knowledge and a competitive STEM workforce?
For 75 years winning that race has been the foundation of American prosperity and national security. Adopting the proposed
cuts would fast-track China’s plans for technological dominance. As Senator Todd Young said in his March 25th Washington
Post op-ed, “…Our policymakers should lock arms with the science-and-technology dreamers and doers across the country
— from Silicon Valley to the Silicon Prairie — and recognize that basic research isn’t a federal handout to help sustain
academia. Instead, it is a vital ingredient in our innovation future, economic and geopolitical competitiveness, and national
security.”
signatures of past NSF directors and NSB chairs
wallenmiller.bsky.social
Immigrants today. Native born citizens tomorrow.
wallenmiller.bsky.social
From the CDC: In the last 6 months in the US, there were: 8-13 million illnesses and 26,000-44,000 deaths from COVID-19. Yet HHS "will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago”. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Exclusive: NIH to cut grants for COVID research, documents reveal
Studies on climate change and South Africa are also on the latest list of grants to be terminated, according to updated documents obtained by Nature.
www.nature.com
wallenmiller.bsky.social
Parents should be arrested for child neglect.
wallenmiller.bsky.social
Enjoyed fantastic seminar on intra/inter cellular communication via plasmodesmata by my academic granddaughter Tessa Burch-Smith, keynote speaker at the student-run Stupka Symposium here at ISU. Her Focused Ion Beam scanning EM images are amazing!
wallenmiller.bsky.social
I will miss Ann Palmenberg, my de facto mentor when I was a grad student. I learned so much from her about viruses, how to write a scientific paper, and more. Plus she was a lot of fun. Always enjoyed her presence at ASV meetings. www.cressfuneralservice.com/obituaries/a...
Ann Carol Palmenberg, Ph.D Obituary February 20, 2025 - Cress Funeral and Cremation Services
View Ann Carol Palmenberg, Ph.D's obituary, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.
www.cressfuneralservice.com
Reposted by W. Allen Miller, molecular virologist
brunalab.bsky.social
NSF-funded research is used by the private sector in product development. Researchers buy stuff, hire people, & provide financial resources for their institutions. This is bad for universities, bad for university communities, and bad for industry. It’s just bad.

www.eenews.net/articles/sci...
Science funding agency threatened with mass layoffs
National Science Foundation staff heard the plans at a meeting Tuesday.
www.eenews.net
wallenmiller.bsky.social
I wonder if all the right-wingers are gonna be trading in their gas guzzlers to buy Teslas now.