Santosh Vardhana
@santoshvardhana.bsky.social
Researching immunology, metabolism, and cancer, and caring for patients with lymphoma at MSKCC (www.vardhanalab.com). Opinions are my own.
Pinned
MEK-dependent bioenergetic demand drives terminal CD8+ T cell exhaustion
Loss of mitochondrial function promotes CD8+ T cell dysfunction during persistent antigen encounter. Here, we examined the pathways whereby chronic an…
www.sciencedirect.com
I couldn’t be prouder to announce that @tanmanamitra.bsky.social’s thesis work identifying how metabolic demand drives terminal T cell exhaustion is out today in @cp-immunity.bsky.social: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Thank you to @mskcancercenter.bsky.social for highlighting recent published work from @tanmanamitra.bsky.social!
www.mskcc.org/news/new-str...
www.mskcc.org/news/new-str...
New Strategy Could Prevent T Cell Exhaustion and Boost Immunotherapy | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Learn how a discovery about T cell exhaustion could lead to new ways to boost the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
www.mskcc.org
July 22, 2026 at 2:16 AM
Thank you to @mskcancercenter.bsky.social for highlighting recent published work from @tanmanamitra.bsky.social!
www.mskcc.org/news/new-str...
www.mskcc.org/news/new-str...
I couldn’t be prouder to announce that @tanmanamitra.bsky.social’s thesis work identifying how metabolic demand drives terminal T cell exhaustion is out today in @cp-immunity.bsky.social: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
MEK-dependent bioenergetic demand drives terminal CD8+ T cell exhaustion
Loss of mitochondrial function promotes CD8+ T cell dysfunction during persistent antigen encounter. Here, we examined the pathways whereby chronic an…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 16, 2026 at 9:56 PM
I couldn’t be prouder to announce that @tanmanamitra.bsky.social’s thesis work identifying how metabolic demand drives terminal T cell exhaustion is out today in @cp-immunity.bsky.social: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
Congratulations to IMP student Tanmana Mitra in the lab of @santoshvardhana.bsky.social for successfully defending her thesis! Stay tuned, as Tanmana’s work on metabolic regulation of T cell exhaustion will soon be published. Best wishes to Dr. Mitra as she begin her postdoc at U Chicago this fall.
July 8, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Congratulations to IMP student Tanmana Mitra in the lab of @santoshvardhana.bsky.social for successfully defending her thesis! Stay tuned, as Tanmana’s work on metabolic regulation of T cell exhaustion will soon be published. Best wishes to Dr. Mitra as she begin her postdoc at U Chicago this fall.
I don’t post much anymore but thought I would take a moment to share my feelings on an issue that has been papered over by the negative impact that external forces have had on science and scientists: the toxicity of our own interactions within the scientific community. (1/8)
May 4, 2026 at 4:27 PM
I don’t post much anymore but thought I would take a moment to share my feelings on an issue that has been papered over by the negative impact that external forces have had on science and scientists: the toxicity of our own interactions within the scientific community. (1/8)
It’s a thrill that the culmination of 5 years of collaboration with @katyavinogradova.bsky.social is out today. This project was inspired by Katya’s incredible work showing massive remodeling of the post-translational landscape during T cell activation. (1/x): www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
March 8, 2026 at 1:56 PM
It’s a thrill that the culmination of 5 years of collaboration with @katyavinogradova.bsky.social is out today. This project was inspired by Katya’s incredible work showing massive remodeling of the post-translational landscape during T cell activation. (1/x): www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposting for our team riding in @cycleforsurvival.bsky.social
this Friday. Still time to donate using the link below! Every dollar goes to support patient-facing rare cancer research! Donate here: shorturl.at/U92Sc
this Friday. Still time to donate using the link below! Every dollar goes to support patient-facing rare cancer research! Donate here: shorturl.at/U92Sc
March 2, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Reposting for our team riding in @cycleforsurvival.bsky.social
this Friday. Still time to donate using the link below! Every dollar goes to support patient-facing rare cancer research! Donate here: shorturl.at/U92Sc
this Friday. Still time to donate using the link below! Every dollar goes to support patient-facing rare cancer research! Donate here: shorturl.at/U92Sc
Proud to once again ride in @cycleforsurvival.bsky.social in three weeks. 100% of every dollar I raise advances rare cancer research at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social. Every single dollar you give makes a difference. Donate here: shorturl.at/U92Sc
February 16, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Proud to once again ride in @cycleforsurvival.bsky.social in three weeks. 100% of every dollar I raise advances rare cancer research at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social. Every single dollar you give makes a difference. Donate here: shorturl.at/U92Sc
Dear all; this year I will once again be riding in @cycleforsurvival.bsky.social to support research for rare cancers at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social. Rare cancers get very little funding for research despite being 50% of all cancers. Support my ride here: secure2.convio.net/mskcc/site/T...
Cycle for Survival: The Movement to Beat Rare Cancers
Support rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
secure2.convio.net
December 2, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Dear all; this year I will once again be riding in @cycleforsurvival.bsky.social to support research for rare cancers at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social. Rare cancers get very little funding for research despite being 50% of all cancers. Support my ride here: secure2.convio.net/mskcc/site/T...
Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | NEJM
In the face of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza’s health system and the catastrophic
famine caused by the devastation, U.S. physicians have an ethical obligation to respond
and support immediate ch...
www.nejm.org
October 3, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
I can understand physicians often being silent when it comes to politics for a variety of reasons. However, this is a moment where we need to be heard stating two things very clearly (1/2):
REPORTER: Should ERs check immigration status before treating a dying patient?
LEAVITT: That's probably not a question for me to answer. That's a question for healthcare professionals and legal experts to answer.
(That's not a no!)
LEAVITT: That's probably not a question for me to answer. That's a question for healthcare professionals and legal experts to answer.
(That's not a no!)
October 2, 2025 at 4:36 PM
I can understand physicians often being silent when it comes to politics for a variety of reasons. However, this is a moment where we need to be heard stating two things very clearly (1/2):
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
ER doc here! This is a lie. Wait times are up because the American healthcare system is an unsustainable business model and a for-profit national healthcare system just doesn’t work. These problems will continue to get worse until we change that system. It literally has nothing to do with immigrants
Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"
October 1, 2025 at 6:49 PM
ER doc here! This is a lie. Wait times are up because the American healthcare system is an unsustainable business model and a for-profit national healthcare system just doesn’t work. These problems will continue to get worse until we change that system. It literally has nothing to do with immigrants
Oh fine, let's walk through the implications of NOT providing emergency health care to all people who walk into a US hospital. Someone shows up in the ER having a heart attack. (1/3)
Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"
October 1, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Oh fine, let's walk through the implications of NOT providing emergency health care to all people who walk into a US hospital. Someone shows up in the ER having a heart attack. (1/3)
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
i don’t think people on bluesky understand the severity of this situation.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
Those on an H1B cannot return to the US from tomorrow (Sunday) unless paying $100K. This is an out-of-the blue presidential action. We’ll see software engineers stranded abroad.
One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.
One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.
September 20, 2025 at 12:20 PM
i don’t think people on bluesky understand the severity of this situation.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
Worth mentioning that H-1B visa holders keep the majority of rural hospitals in America functioning
September 20, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Worth mentioning that H-1B visa holders keep the majority of rural hospitals in America functioning
I can confirm that this is a very accurate description of what people who are trying to help improve the lives of patients with cancer, including myself, are facing.
September 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I can confirm that this is a very accurate description of what people who are trying to help improve the lives of patients with cancer, including myself, are facing.
Now accepting applications for our 2026 Cancer Biology & Cancer Engineering programs. Aspiring scientists & engineers will solve fundamental problems in biology & conduct research & develop technology that will help understand, diagnose, & treat cancer.
bit.ly/3WUiuo1
bit.ly/3WUiuo1
Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
The Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers the next generation of basic scientists a program to study the biological sciences through the lens of cancer
bit.ly
September 11, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Now accepting applications for our 2026 Cancer Biology & Cancer Engineering programs. Aspiring scientists & engineers will solve fundamental problems in biology & conduct research & develop technology that will help understand, diagnose, & treat cancer.
bit.ly/3WUiuo1
bit.ly/3WUiuo1
How can this be real? It is - this is a very real post by the current acting director of the CDC - essentially a full confession of scientific illiteracy. God help us.
September 4, 2025 at 11:09 PM
How can this be real? It is - this is a very real post by the current acting director of the CDC - essentially a full confession of scientific illiteracy. God help us.
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
My Friday night hot take is that replication studies are largely a waste of time & $
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
August 16, 2025 at 1:47 AM
My Friday night hot take is that replication studies are largely a waste of time & $
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
Nature: Cancelling mRNA studies is the highest irresponsibility
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
August 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Nature: Cancelling mRNA studies is the highest irresponsibility
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
Top 10 causes of death in the US: heart disease, cancer, COVID, trauma/overdose, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease/cirrhosis.
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
Advancing NIH’s Mission Through a Unified Strategy
NIH is moving toward a unified strategy that aligns our priorities and funding approaches to fulfill this commitment.
www.nih.gov
August 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Top 10 causes of death in the US: heart disease, cancer, COVID, trauma/overdose, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease/cirrhosis.
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
“The symbolism could not be clearer: Scientists, doctors, public health officials, and law enforcement officials — people whose life’s work is to protect the nation — have targets on their backs.” Bravo @celinegounder.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
Opinion | A Dangerous Escalation of the Science Wars
www.nytimes.com
August 11, 2025 at 11:47 PM
“The symbolism could not be clearer: Scientists, doctors, public health officials, and law enforcement officials — people whose life’s work is to protect the nation — have targets on their backs.” Bravo @celinegounder.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
On 8/5, HHS cancelled all federal funding for mRNA vaccine research. On 8/6, @rfk-junior.bsky.social posted, “Doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical giants profit by keeping Americans sick.” On 8/8, a man convinced he was made sick by the COVID vaccine shot up by the CDC.
“...disinformation, conspiracy theories & political violence is getting scarier by the day. I’m very worried about how this is now going beyond defunding of infectious diseases & public health to political violence against the people working in those fields."
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/u...
After Years of Anger Directed at C.D.C., Shooting Manifests Worst Fears
www.nytimes.com
August 11, 2025 at 1:51 AM
On 8/5, HHS cancelled all federal funding for mRNA vaccine research. On 8/6, @rfk-junior.bsky.social posted, “Doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical giants profit by keeping Americans sick.” On 8/8, a man convinced he was made sick by the COVID vaccine shot up by the CDC.
At this point the end of scientific research in the US seems more like an inevitability than a concern. I wish someone could explain to me the benefits that outweigh the catastrophic harms of this series of decisions.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding
The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.
www.wsj.com
July 30, 2025 at 2:32 AM
At this point the end of scientific research in the US seems more like an inevitability than a concern. I wish someone could explain to me the benefits that outweigh the catastrophic harms of this series of decisions.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...