Seth Tomchik
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sethtomchik.bsky.social
Seth Tomchik
@sethtomchik.bsky.social
860 followers 530 following 200 posts
Neuroscientist studying learning & memory and genetic disorders. Some photography on the side. Views are my own.
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sethtomchik.bsky.social
The American public has clearly weighed in on OMB's proposed rule that would politicize science funding. An overwhelming majority of comments submitted - 94% - oppose it.

www.techpolicy.press/the-public-r...
The Public Rejects OMB's Federal Financial Assistance Rule
Tens of thousands of scientists, clinicians, and ordinary citizens warned OMB about putting political appointees in charge of which research gets funded.
www.techpolicy.press
July 18, 2026 at 9:10 PM
sethtomchik.bsky.social
If you haven't yet submitted a comment on the new OMB rule re: federal funding of research and would like to, now is the time. Your voice matters!
peiferlabunc.bsky.social Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · Jul 11
Here is the comment I posted commenting on the OMB Rules about federal funding. My is jut an example: It's key to personalize it and this tool from @faseborg.bsky.social helps one do so. Do it NOW--the future of American science is at stake
www.faseb.org/science-poli...
I am a Professor of Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill and have run an NIH-funded research lab there for 33 years. The rule changes proposed by OMB would negatively affect our work and that of my colleagues in multiple ways and weaken American science at a time when international competition is accelerating. I am especially concerned about section §200.205 which would require that a senior political appointee personally review and approve every discretionary grant, with authority to override peer review. I have reviewed grants for both NIH and NSF. The peer review system developed here is the envy of my colleagues around the world. Experts in the field assess the significance of the work, and its likely impact, and this is then used to rank grants for funding. It has made America the leader in biomedical research. Replacing this with review by political appointees without expertise in the areas of study will reduce the impact of the grants funded. I also am concerned that the sheer number of grants will overwhelm the ability of the relatively small number of political appointees’ ability to review all of the proposals, thus reducing grant funding. The impact of this new policy will be amplified by section §200.340 , which would allow grant termination in the middle of a funding cycle simply due to a decision, likely made by a political appointee, that the agencies priorities have changed. We hire personnel, PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and technicians, based on the awarded grant funding. Allowing immediate termination where there was no noncompliance will leave people in our labs subject to immediate job loss, without the time to plan for a transition. This will further discourage young people for entering this important enterprise at a time when the need for and benefits of science have never been greater. I am also concerned about Section §200.454, which would make Journal subscriptions unallowable. This will have a significant negative impact on lab alumni who are faculty members at some of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges, where the institution cannot maintain subscriptions to all needed journals. These small labs train the future generation of scientists. Without access to key journal publications, their work will be less impactful. Section §200.461 would prohibit use of grant funds for publication costs without prior approval. Our lab publishes two or more research papers a year. I understand the concern over rising APCs at some for-profit journals, but a blanket prohibition will slow our rate of publication at a time when international competitors do not need to do so, reducing the competitiveness of American science. Section §200.220 puts very severe regulations on foreign collaborations. Our group has had or currently has international collaborators in Canada, Germany, France, Israel and the Netherlands. These have allowed us to take advantage of approaches and technologies in our collaborators’ labs and have led to important discoveries regarding signaling pathways important in cancer and the mechanisms cancer cells use to leave tumors and metastasize. All are currently reviewed internally for any security concerns. Removing or substantially hindering our ability to collaborate will reduce the impact of our work. Under section §200.202, programs proposed by funding agencies much must align with administration priorities. Once again, this sort of top-down management by political appointees who are not well versed in the relevant science is likely to lead to decisions that are less well founded than if programs are designed by experts in each field. It will also lead to uncertainty, as new Administrations with new priorities take office. When we write a grant to NIH, we already need to provide strong scientific justification of the significance of…
July 11, 2026 at 10:30 PM
sethtomchik.bsky.social
Caught a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Riverside Theater in Iowa City on Thursday. The performers and production were amazing. What a gift to the community. No photos allowed during the performance so this will have to suffice.
An clsssic wood framed outdoor Shakespearean theater, photographed in the evening, with a large banner advertising the current performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream hanging from the front
June 27, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
elizabethginexi.bsky.social
Calling all Scientists! Research Administrators! Deans! Fans of Science! No one is coming to save us. Here is your assignment. I have written a step by step, easy to understand "how-to" document to help you comment on the proposed OMB rule. elizabethginexi.substack.com/p/what-we-ne...
What We Need to do NEXT: OMB’s Proposed Federal Financial Assistance Rule (OMB 2026-10817)
What OMB’s Proposed Federal Financial Assistance Rule Means in Practice
elizabethginexi.substack.com
May 29, 2026 at 9:47 PM
sethtomchik.bsky.social
"When we use AI ... we lose the most important part of the writing process: thinking."

I don't use AI for this reason. E.g., when writing up a research manuscript, the goal is to publish, but the writing process represents an intellectual review of the project.

www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
The Biggest Tell That Something Was Written by AI
Look closely and you’ll see that every part of the text is not quite right.
www.theatlantic.com
May 30, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
joachimgoedhart.bsky.social
How genetically encoded sensors have lit up neuroscience
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
How genetically encoded sensors have lit up neuroscience
Tools that track specific molecules in neurons have enabled researchers to probe previously unexplored aspects of neurobiology — although important caveats remain.
www.nature.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
karenswilcoxphd.bsky.social
After 10 years, I am stepping down as chair of our department and we have an active search going on! Utah is a phenomenal place to live and work and it's been the honor of a lifetime chairing the department founded by Lou Goodman. #MedSky #Neuroskyence Repost!

jobs.chronicle.com/job/37914733...
Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology - Salt Lake City, Utah job with The University of Utah | 37914733
The University of Utah seeks a Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology
jobs.chronicle.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
alisabokulich.bsky.social
"If NOAA’s forecast holds, Thursday could bring an even higher chance of seeing the northern lights as a Kp index of 7 has been issued for tomorrow night"
November 6, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
nature.com
Funders must recognise that great discoveries often come from studies that seeks to advance knowledge for its own sake

go.nature.com/47zrzYZ
From MRI to Ozempic: breakthroughs that show why fundamental research must be protected
In these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different.
go.nature.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
camillawenceslau.bsky.social
🌟We’re hiring! 🌟
The Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy at the @UofSCSOMC is seeking a tenure-track Assistant Professor to join our collaborative and dynamic team!
❤️ Focus: Cardiovascular, cellular, and molecular research
Review begins Dec 1, 2025
uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/196...
Assistant Professor
uscjobs.sc.edu
October 29, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
peiferlabunc.bsky.social
The UNC Department of Biology is seeking a Director of Biology Teaching Labs, a key leadership role overseeing our undergraduate laboratory program. 1/n
Learn more and apply here: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/308...
Director of Biology Teaching Labs
The Director of Biology Teaching Labs provides leadership and direction in the management of the Biology Department's undergraduate laboratories and will be responsible for the undergraduate laborator...
unc.peopleadmin.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
npr.org
Three high schoolers founded a book club that reads some of the country's most frequently banned books after a state law removing books with sexual content was signed in 2023. Two years later, many of the books have been reshelved and parts of the law can't be enforced.
When books were being pulled from Iowa classrooms, these teens started an after-school club to read them
Three Iowa City West high schoolers founded a book club that reads some of the country's most frequently banned books after a state law removing books with sexual content was signed in 2023. Two years later, many of the books have been reshelved and parts of the law can't be enforced.
n.pr
October 20, 2025 at 3:10 PM
sethtomchik.bsky.social
The framing of the article (and others like it) is wildly misleading. Academia does not have a sweetheart deal and never did. Universities produce knowledge and educate students, and are funded to do those things. It is hard, undercompensated work, with extreme competition at all levels.
bradvivian.bsky.social Bradford Vivian @bradvivian.bsky.social · Oct 20
The definition of “viewpoint diversity” that figures like this promote implies *censorship* (the “must” part): curbing some forms of expression to boost others. It’s an invention of orgs who advocate government censorship of teaching/research + restrictions on protected political speech in colleges.
Opinion Opinion by Megan McArdle The sweetheart deal is over for academia Universities must restore public trust, starting with viewpoint diversity.
October 20, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
mattolm.bsky.social
My fantastic department at CU Boulder is hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor! This is a broad search spanning nearly all areas of biology. Applications are due Nov 13, 2025. Feel free to reach out to me with questions, and please share widely.
jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDeta...
October 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
merz.bsky.social
! ! ! ! ! !
peiferlabunc.bsky.social Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · Oct 12
I'm very excited to announce that UNC Biology has 6 faculty positions open this year! The first is for an Asst Professor who studies organismal resilience using an integrative approach 1/n
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...
Poster with QR code linking to the position
October 12, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
bessfrost.bsky.social
We are excited to announce a new open search for a tenure track Assistant Professor position within the Brown University Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research!

Apply here: apply.interfolio.com/175427
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 10, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
genetics-gsa.bsky.social
Are you advancing #Drosophila neurogenetics? 🧠🪰

Nominations are open for the Hugo Bellen & Catherine Tasnier Drosophila Neurogenetics Lecture—$5,000 + present at #Dros26! 2025 recipient Qili Liu shared groundbreaking work on protein-specific appetite. Who’s next?

Apply by Nov 6: buff.ly/kTdkONE
October 7, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
beebrookshire.bsky.social
Some good advice in here but one critical piece I always give is this:

Get a hobby. Preferably a mildly social one. One that has NOTHING TO DO WITH SCIENCE. NOTHING.

You need friends. Not colleagues. FRIENDS. Friends who will love you no matter your research prospects...
October 6, 2025 at 2:23 PM
sethtomchik.bsky.social
A new series of postdoc career development seminars launched this semester. The first, "Postdoc to PI" featured new Assistant Professors (i.e., with fresh experience) to coach postdocs looking to hit the academic job market soon.

Keep an eye out for more upcoming events:
uipda.grad.uiowa.edu
Postdocs seated in a sunlit room, facing a panel of five professors seated at a table in the front of the room, who are in front of floor-to-ceiling windows. Close-up view of five professors seated at a table in front of windows, engaged in a panel discussion with an audience that is not pictured (behind the camera) Flyer for the Postdoc to PI panel
October 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
annikabarber.bsky.social
Despite These Times...my department is hiring! I really like my department, we have a good mix of disciplines and organisms and we're really low-drama. We also get pizza at faculty meeting. So if you're a computational and structural biologist, join us! 🧪 jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/260...
Assistant Professor - Tenure Track Faculty
The Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is inviting applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position. The position requires a doc...
jobs.rutgers.edu
October 1, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
brittonsauerbrei.bsky.social
My department at Case Western Reserve is recruiting an Assistant / Associate Professor of Neurosciences - come be our colleague!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
October 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
tinatootle.bsky.social
One month left to apply! The Department of Biology at the University of Iowa is hiring an assistant professor in genetics whose research focuses on a fundamental mechanism that can be applied to cancer. Apply at: jobs.uiowa.edu/faculty/view.... Come join our vibrant department!🧪
Faculty Requisition Details - Jobs@UIOWA: Search and Apply for Jobs at The University of Iowa
Jobs@UIOWA: The official place to search and apply for jobs at The University of Iowa.
jobs.uiowa.edu
October 1, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Seth Tomchik
anitadevineni.bsky.social
My department at Emory is a hiring a tenure-track neuroscientist!

Anyone who's talked to me in the last 4 years knows I cannot say enough good things about my dept and the neuroscience community here. My colleagues are so wonderfully supportive. Postdocs, please apply!

apply.interfolio.com/174371
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
September 30, 2025 at 6:25 PM
sethtomchik.bsky.social
Familiar spaces can take on such a different look if the light hits just right
An indoor atrium with afternoon light coming through a set of windows and casting long shadows on a concrete floor. Several tall round concrete pillars are visible and the atrium is lined with scattered tables and chairs. The photograph has a desaturated, almost grayscale appearance
September 30, 2025 at 12:40 PM