What’s up with Downes?
@gbdownes.bsky.social
Dad of two, Professor of Biology @UMass, rare disease researcher and advocate, SPINES @MBL director, and runner. I use zebrafish to study the genetic control of locomotion and epilepsy genes. 🧪🧬🧠
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
The NIH just released a proposal that will apparently hide peer reviewers’ impact scores and percentiles from the research team, their institution, and NIH program officers.
All the better to obscure how funding decisions will be made primarily via political review, I’m guessing.
All the better to obscure how funding decisions will be made primarily via political review, I’m guessing.
NOT-OD-26-088: Request for Information (RFI) on Proposed Changes to Reporting Outcomes from NIH Peer Review
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Request for Information (RFI) on Proposed Changes to Reporting Outcomes from NIH Peer Review NOT-OD-26-088. NIH
grants.nih.gov
August 14, 2026 at 9:38 PM
The NIH just released a proposal that will apparently hide peer reviewers’ impact scores and percentiles from the research team, their institution, and NIH program officers.
All the better to obscure how funding decisions will be made primarily via political review, I’m guessing.
All the better to obscure how funding decisions will be made primarily via political review, I’m guessing.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
The Trump Administration’s racist science policies have achieved some of their goals.
The number of Black Principal Investigators has dropped by 10% between 2024 and 2025; while the number of Hispanic PIs has fallen by 7%.
For research trainees, the numbers are far worse.
The number of Black Principal Investigators has dropped by 10% between 2024 and 2025; while the number of Hispanic PIs has fallen by 7%.
For research trainees, the numbers are far worse.
Trends in NIH Investigators by Sex, Race, Ethnicity, and Disability Status
This cross-sectional study assesses National Institutes of Health (NIH) data from fiscal years 2016-2025 comprising annual counts of principal investigators funded through research grants and fellowsh...
jamanetwork.com
June 8, 2026 at 7:38 PM
The Trump Administration’s racist science policies have achieved some of their goals.
The number of Black Principal Investigators has dropped by 10% between 2024 and 2025; while the number of Hispanic PIs has fallen by 7%.
For research trainees, the numbers are far worse.
The number of Black Principal Investigators has dropped by 10% between 2024 and 2025; while the number of Hispanic PIs has fallen by 7%.
For research trainees, the numbers are far worse.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
NIH funding is back in limbo, and it’s a mess. Between a 90% drop in new funding notices and White House spending blocks, only about 800 new awards have been made, less than a third of the usual rate.
If these "spend plans" don't clear soon, we’re looking at a major gap in biomedical research.
If these "spend plans" don't clear soon, we’re looking at a major gap in biomedical research.
Delays in awards and funding calls worry NIH-funded researchers
Many programs may be pushed into the next fiscal year, and some could face funding gaps
www.science.org
March 4, 2026 at 4:49 PM
NIH funding is back in limbo, and it’s a mess. Between a 90% drop in new funding notices and White House spending blocks, only about 800 new awards have been made, less than a third of the usual rate.
If these "spend plans" don't clear soon, we’re looking at a major gap in biomedical research.
If these "spend plans" don't clear soon, we’re looking at a major gap in biomedical research.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
A long overdue reckoning for Henrietta Lacks — the Black woman whose cancer cells led to breakthroughs but were harvested without her consent. Novartis has settled a lawsuit by Lacks’ estate that alleged the pharmaceutical giant profited off her cells.
https://bit.ly/3NgCeBs
https://bit.ly/3NgCeBs
Henrietta Lacks' Family Reaches Settlement in Fight Over Her Stolen Cells
Details of the Novartis agreement aren't public, but the family says it is pleased with the outcome.
capitalbnews.org
March 3, 2026 at 9:55 PM
A long overdue reckoning for Henrietta Lacks — the Black woman whose cancer cells led to breakthroughs but were harvested without her consent. Novartis has settled a lawsuit by Lacks’ estate that alleged the pharmaceutical giant profited off her cells.
https://bit.ly/3NgCeBs
https://bit.ly/3NgCeBs
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
Some exciting news! NCBI has finished the annotation pipeline for our new #zebrafish reference sequence GRCz12tu:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/refseq/annot...
This is a big step up in data depth and quality and should be super helpful going forward.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/refseq/annot...
This is a big step up in data depth and quality and should be super helpful going forward.
Danio rerio Annotation ReportTwitterFacebookLinkedInGitHubNCBI Insights BlogTwitterFacebookYoutube
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
May 15, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Some exciting news! NCBI has finished the annotation pipeline for our new #zebrafish reference sequence GRCz12tu:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/refseq/annot...
This is a big step up in data depth and quality and should be super helpful going forward.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/refseq/annot...
This is a big step up in data depth and quality and should be super helpful going forward.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
A dresser inside a museum in New York City has been discovered as a secret stop on the Underground Railroad — the first of its kind discovered in Manhattan in over 100 years
February 11, 2026 at 3:43 AM
A dresser inside a museum in New York City has been discovered as a secret stop on the Underground Railroad — the first of its kind discovered in Manhattan in over 100 years
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
In the aftermath of a global pandemic, and in the midst of two major public health crises (the ongoing measles and bird flu outbreaks), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces that it is cutting 20,000 full-time jobs.
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
The Trump administration restructures federal health agencies, cuts 20,000 jobs
The reduction in force comes along with a reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services, consolidating 28 divisions to 15.
www.npr.org
March 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM
In the aftermath of a global pandemic, and in the midst of two major public health crises (the ongoing measles and bird flu outbreaks), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces that it is cutting 20,000 full-time jobs.
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
www.npr.org/sections/sho...
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
Today I lost an NIH grant training clinicians to do research about intimate partner violence with perinatal women.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
March 22, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Today I lost an NIH grant training clinicians to do research about intimate partner violence with perinatal women.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications.
I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
March 10, 2025 at 5:12 PM
I'm excited to share that we have a new paper out! This is a review about a #RareDisease. We propose that #TBCK Syndrome, #PPP1R21 related intellectual disability, and #FERRY3 intellectual disability, all rare disease, may constitute a new disease class. (1/4)
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Neurogenetic disorders associated with mutations in the FERRY complex: a novel disease class?
Summary: This Review provides a summary of cellular and molecular data about TBCK, PPP1R21, and FERRY3, components of the FERRY complex, and compares clinical symptoms observed upon their mutation.
journals.biologists.com
March 10, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I'm excited to share that we have a new paper out! This is a review about a #RareDisease. We propose that #TBCK Syndrome, #PPP1R21 related intellectual disability, and #FERRY3 intellectual disability, all rare disease, may constitute a new disease class. (1/4)
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
"This is direct censorship of scientific research.”
"In an unprecedented move, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has begun mass terminations of research grants that fund active scientific projects [Studies that touch on LGBT+ health, gender identity, and DEI ] because they no longer meet 'agency priorities'..."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants
Studies that touch on LGBT+ health, gender identity and DEI in the biomedical workforce could be terminated, according to documents obtained by Nature.
www.nature.com
March 6, 2025 at 3:03 AM
"This is direct censorship of scientific research.”
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks.
https://go.nature.com/4kd1vIu
https://go.nature.com/4kd1vIu
Trump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere
US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks.
go.nature.com
February 25, 2025 at 9:53 PM
US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks.
https://go.nature.com/4kd1vIu
https://go.nature.com/4kd1vIu
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
"I promise, America will soon be the Cybertruck of countries—uglier than you could have imagined, built for rich chuds, borderline inoperable, and on fire."
Here at DOGE, We’ve Streamlined Every Aspect of America’s Collapse
"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave representatives of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency access to the federal payment system la...
buff.ly
February 8, 2025 at 3:00 PM
"I promise, America will soon be the Cybertruck of countries—uglier than you could have imagined, built for rich chuds, borderline inoperable, and on fire."
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
Hi all, I am in contact with a reporter at Science magazine who would like to talk with a trainee or mentor who successfully applied for an equity/DEI-related NIH training grant or a training supplement but have not received the Notice of Award and probably won't get the grant.
February 6, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Hi all, I am in contact with a reporter at Science magazine who would like to talk with a trainee or mentor who successfully applied for an equity/DEI-related NIH training grant or a training supplement but have not received the Notice of Award and probably won't get the grant.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
Reminder that @europepmc.org is a mirror of Pubmed with better search and that it indexes *all* bioRxiv preprints (as well as ResearchSquare), not just the ones funded by NIH like chauvinist Pubmed
I’m very scared to see what happens to PubMed
January 31, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reminder that @europepmc.org is a mirror of Pubmed with better search and that it indexes *all* bioRxiv preprints (as well as ResearchSquare), not just the ones funded by NIH like chauvinist Pubmed
Hope this is real.
This account is for sharing info with US scientists, both extramural and intramural to NIH, about attacks on science in the US.
Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪
We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have.
Education is power, and we can help advocate for science and medicine together. 💪🧪
We are a team of NIH people. Please ask us questions you might have.
January 31, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Hope this is real.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
🚨PIs of Training Grants and Programs, ESPECIALLY training grants that support students from historically excluded groups (T32s and T34s, IMSD, MARC, PREP, MOSAIC, etc.)🚨
We need to push back on the loss of information and the disappearance of websites about these resources.
We need to push back on the loss of information and the disappearance of websites about these resources.
January 29, 2025 at 6:48 PM
🚨PIs of Training Grants and Programs, ESPECIALLY training grants that support students from historically excluded groups (T32s and T34s, IMSD, MARC, PREP, MOSAIC, etc.)🚨
We need to push back on the loss of information and the disappearance of websites about these resources.
We need to push back on the loss of information and the disappearance of websites about these resources.
Can someone please explain to me the legal basis for dismantling DEI programs? I get that the Supreme Court ruled against using race-based affirmative action for Higher Ed admissions but, if you take race out of the equation, does that make every program that mentions DEI ‘illegal’?
January 29, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Can someone please explain to me the legal basis for dismantling DEI programs? I get that the Supreme Court ruled against using race-based affirmative action for Higher Ed admissions but, if you take race out of the equation, does that make every program that mentions DEI ‘illegal’?
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
🧪👩🏽🔬👩🔬👩🏻🔬👩🏼🔬👩🏾🔬👩🏿🔬
The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science program awards women postdoctoral scientists. Candidates must have their PhD, started their postdoctoral research position, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Applications due 5:00pm ET on Friday, February 14.
www.loreal.com/en/usa/pages...
www.loreal.com/en/usa/pages...
L'Oréal USA For Women in Science
The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science program has awarded 80 postdoctoral women scientists over $4 million in grants since 2003.
www.loreal.com
January 29, 2025 at 2:57 PM
🧪👩🏽🔬👩🔬👩🏻🔬👩🏼🔬👩🏾🔬👩🏿🔬
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
Once again, this administration reveals how it stands in the way of scientific progress and process: Preprints enable scientists to communicate their science more rapidly and widely. 🧪
NIH staff told they can submit papers to journals but not preprints. "a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and prioritization" <- review by whom...? www.science.org/content/arti... ht @philipncohen.com 1/2
NIH memo addresses ‘confusion’ about restrictions imposed by Trump, easing some concerns
Memo from acting director to staff allows some purchasing, and suggests travel and study sections could soon resume
www.science.org
January 28, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Once again, this administration reveals how it stands in the way of scientific progress and process: Preprints enable scientists to communicate their science more rapidly and widely. 🧪
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
This looks awesome! I hope people will use it in combination with @adrienjouary.bsky.social 's megabouts.ai, which can lower the time resolution needed for bout identification, helping to enable low cost experimental set-ups.
January 28, 2025 at 5:11 PM
This looks awesome! I hope people will use it in combination with @adrienjouary.bsky.social 's megabouts.ai, which can lower the time resolution needed for bout identification, helping to enable low cost experimental set-ups.
I'm thrilled to announce that our paper describing Marigold, a free machine learning-based webapp for zebrafish behavioral analysis, is officially published! Marigold features a user friendly graphical user interface to enable training of a neural network for analyzing behavioral recordings.
January 28, 2025 at 4:23 PM
I'm thrilled to announce that our paper describing Marigold, a free machine learning-based webapp for zebrafish behavioral analysis, is officially published! Marigold features a user friendly graphical user interface to enable training of a neural network for analyzing behavioral recordings.
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
On the migration of the scientific community to Bluesky:
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Bluesky’s science takeover: 70% of Nature poll respondents use platform
Roughly 6,000 readers answered our poll, with many declaring that Bluesky was nicer, kinder and less antagonistic to science than X.
www.nature.com
January 27, 2025 at 8:19 PM
On the migration of the scientific community to Bluesky:
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Reposted by What’s up with Downes?
I’m an NSF panel reviewer that was scheduled to meet today. Just got notice that all NSF panels were canceled today. I reviewed some innovative proposals in support of students. Devastating if these scholars don’t get to do this work. For the love of science & students I hope this is just a delay.💔
January 27, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I’m an NSF panel reviewer that was scheduled to meet today. Just got notice that all NSF panels were canceled today. I reviewed some innovative proposals in support of students. Devastating if these scholars don’t get to do this work. For the love of science & students I hope this is just a delay.💔