Joshua S. Weitz | Lightnews

Joshua Weitz

@joshuasweitz.bsky.social

10K followers 3.3K following 2.4K posts

Professor of Biology & Institute for Health Computing, U of Maryland; explores how viruses impact human & environmental health;

'Asymptomatic' (JHU Press - https://bit.ly/asymptomatic_book)
&
'Science Matters' (https://substack.com/@joshuasweitz) .. more

Videos

Joshua S. Weitz is an American biologist. He is both a professor of biology and the Clark Leadership Chair in Data Analytics at the University of Maryland. Previously, he was a professor at Georgia Tech, where he was the founding director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences. In 2017, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. .. more

Biology 28%

Environmental science 26%

Posts Replies Media Videos

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Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · Sep 24

New from #SCIMaP - analysis of the White House’s Proposed FY 2026 National Science Foundation Budget.

Take-home: Slashing NSF by >50% will lead to ~$11 billion in economic loss and extensive job loss and reduced training opportunities in communities nationwide.

Report: osf.io/e8rnc

a 🧵

Economic loss from the White House's NSF FY 2026 Proposed Budget

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 12h

This too, is a consequence of revisions in the wake of COVID; and as long as current HHS leadership is in charge, we should expect more shocks to our health and economy.

joshuasweitz.substack.com/p/revisionis...

Revisionism in the Wake of Covid

A dialogue confronting the premise of revisionist efforts to diminish the pandemic's severity and dismantle public health institutions.

joshuasweitz.substack.com

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 13h

What has given me hope is the response.

Science is still taking place in labs throughout the country, but under far different conditions, with far greater volatility and less surety than ever.

And more and more scientists are speaking up, willing to face the threat for what it is.

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 13h

They have been delivering 1-2 punches from the start.

There is real damage.

And yes, they want to dismantle science.

They want fewer independent experts, because they are afraid to face the data.

But, scientists & the public have been fighting back.

We're still standing & we're not stopping.

Max Boot @maxboot.bsky.social · 13h

The Trump administration this week delivers a 1-2 punch to science. This is the triumph of irrationality and conspiracy mongering.

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

Max Boot @maxboot.bsky.social · 13h

The Trump administration this week delivers a 1-2 punch to science. This is the triumph of irrationality and conspiracy mongering.

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 15h

Hard reading. That's precisely why I recommend reading it.

Andrea Pitzer @andreapitzer.bsky.social · 15h

When I got the contract to write a history of concentration camps in 2014, I hoped to keep the US from ending up here. That didn't work out! But now it's critical to understand how much is already in process and the enormity of what's coming. The sooner we act to stop it, the more people we'll save.

Building the camps

The warehouseification of detention and initial thoughts on stopping it.

degenerateart.beehiiv.com

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Joshua S. Weitz, Melanie C. Green , and 5 more Anna O. Law, Joshua S. Weitz, Melanie C. Green, Rebecca Tushnet, Manuel Puppis, Manisha Sinha, Susan D. Amussen, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Andrea Pitzer @andreapitzer.bsky.social · 15h

Building the camps

The warehouseification of detention and initial thoughts on stopping it.

degenerateart.beehiiv.com

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 18h

In the absence of real oversight, we will continue to bear the costs of an administration that privileges ideology over evidence: increased risk of disease, narrowing scope for discovery and innovation, and reduced economic activity.

Grievance has its consequences.

CNN @cnn.com · 18h

The FDA has refused to accept an application from Moderna to review its first mRNA seasonal flu vaccine, the company said, in another setback for the technology that’s been a target of some Trump administration health officials. https://cnn.it/4kt8iyn

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Michael D. McDonald

CNN @cnn.com · 18h

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Rep. Delia Ramirez to DHS officials: "I have as much respect for you as I do for the last white men who put on masks to terrorize communities of color. I have no respect for the inheritors of the Klanhood and the slave patrol. Those activities were criminal and so are yours."

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 1d

The time to speak out is now:

reporting via @nytimes.com:
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/h...

and more details via Grant Witness and @noamross.net
bsky.app/profile/noam...

Noam Ross @noamross.net · 1d

Last month, the administration reversed massive cuts to to SAMHSA and CDC after public and congressional outcry. We can do that again. Call your representatives! 5/5

grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0...

grant-witness.us

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 1d

Will the 'leading' member organizations of the Science and Technology Action Committee release a new statement or retraction? Unlikely - which is why this statement was already stale the moment it was released.

sciencetechaction.org/news-item/st...

STAC Statement Thanking President Donald Trump for Signing the Senate Amendment to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act – Science & Technology Action Committee

The co-chairs of the Science and Technology Action Committee (STAC), a nonpartisan alliance of nonprofit, academic, foundation, and business leaders advocating for greater focus and funding of science...

sciencetechaction.org

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 1d

Top-line budget numbers (and celebrations thereof) have little meaning if the Trump administration continues to cancel grants arbitrarily, targeting their perceived 'opponents' in blue states and in vulnerable communities nationwide.

👇

Noam Ross @noamross.net · 1d

The Trump administration is planning to terminate $600M of CDC grants to CA, CO, MN, and IL. We're publishing the full list.

They are using vulnerable communities as a weapon to dismantle public health, targeting partisan enemies, and manipulating media. 🧵 1/5

grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0...

grant-witness.us

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

Noam Ross @noamross.net · 1d

Last month, the administration reversed massive cuts to to SAMHSA and CDC after public and congressional outcry. We can do that again. Call your representatives! 5/5

grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0...

grant-witness.us

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

Noam Ross @noamross.net · 1d

grant-witness.us

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Smith, Richard M. Carpiano

Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 1d

The high proportion of US scientists among those recruited by France shows that “enthusiasm and morale for doing science is low” in the US, says Sharon Milgram, who led early-career researcher programs at NIH for nearly 20 years, until she retired in December.

By @lizziegibney.bsky.social and me

Nature @nature.com · 1d

Almost all of the scientists were previously at US institutions

go.nature.com/4qMlrUR

Dozens of researchers will move to France from US following high-profile bid to lure talent

Large proportion worked at Columbia University, which had its grants cut and frozen by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

go.nature.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Silvia Secchi

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 1d

Holy shit—a terrible waste of $$

Bhattacharya is so kooky

“If lots of people believe it & it’s moving public health, we as NIH have an obligation, again, to treat it seriously,” Bhattacharya said at a MAHA event

Great reporting by @rachanadpradhan.bsky.social

kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

US Cancer Institute Studying Ivermectin’s ‘Ability To Kill Cancer Cells’ - KFF Health News

At a January event organized by allies of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., National Cancer Institute Director Anthony Letai said results may be released “in a few months.” Ivermectin, used to d...

kffhealthnews.org

Reposted by Cas Mudde, Rebecca Solnit, Joshua S. Weitz , and 11 more Cas Mudde, Rebecca Solnit, Joshua S. Weitz, Iain Davidson, Fabián Muniesa, Anders Nilsson, Cathy N. Davidson, Sanford F. Schram, W. Andy Knight, Federica Genovese, Prokla Redaktion, Magda Teter, Nathan P. Kalmoe, David Darmofal

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 1d

AOC on DHS Warehouses: I think every American should be alarmed. They are building—and have built—a black box system that disappears people, both immigrants and U.S. citizens alike.

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 1d

Measles in Dilley Detention Center, San Antonio Texas
www.statnews.com/2026/02/04/m...

TB in Camp East Montana, El Paso, TX
www.texastribune.org/2026/02/07/i...

Toddler w/respiratory failure returned to detention
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Toddler hospitalized with respiratory failure was returned to ICE detention and denied prescribed medication, lawsuit says

The 18-month-old was sent back to a South Texas facility after days in intensive care with severe respiratory distress, according to a federal lawsuit.

www.nbcnews.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Joshua S. Weitz, Robert C. Richards , and 4 more Brendan Nyhan, Joshua S. Weitz, Robert C. Richards, David R. Miller, Scott A. Imberman, James Goodwin, Larry W. Hunter

Apoorva Mandavilli @apoorvanyt.bsky.social · 1d

The Trump administration plans to rescind $600 million in public health funds from four states led by Democrats because it finds the grants “inconsistent with agency priorities,” according to documents reviewed by the NYT

Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/h...

Trump Administration to Cut $600 Million in Health Funding From Four States

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

Nathan Lo @nathanlo.bsky.social · 2d

Check out this @nature.com News explainer article on measles, with my comments about our prior work, and featuring an upcoming article led by Drs @malar0ne.bsky.social and @joshuasweitz.bsky.social: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Measles is raging worldwide: are you at risk?

Cases in fully vaccinated people are rare and usually mild, but are likely to become more common as exposure to the virus rises.

www.nature.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

Karlin Lillington @klillington.bsky.social · 2d

I came out of retirement to write this story, because what the actual what

‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September

www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...

www.irishtimes.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

The Athletic @theathletic.com · 2d

The ending to Bad Bunny's halftime show:

"The only thing more powerful than hate is love"
"Together, we are America"

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 3d

It was re-tested, in a way.

Havers et al. did a comprehensive seroprevalence study. In the Bay Area, they found ~9 infections per reported case. Not the 50-85x that Bhattacharya + co claimed, whose work exaggerated immunity & minimized harm by 5-10 fold.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Seroprevalence of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in 10 Sites in the United States, 2020

This cross-sectional study estimates the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies in convenience samples from 10 geographic sites in the United States.

jamanetwork.com

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 3d

If establishment institutions continue to say “trust us” and tell others to quiet down, they are more likely to wander off in the direction of satisfying the agendas of partners who no longer exist and losing sight of the constituencies & purpose they were meant to serve in the first place.

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 3d

Restoring budget numbers to the status quo is a low bar; and recent wins (with caveats) were possible because of a continuum of approaches, including community-led efforts which should not be disparaged as 'heated'.

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 3d

Multiyear funding schemes continue to limit science, early career training has been slashed (including NIH's premier program to enhance the diversity of the biomedical workforce), and health policy decisions are being made on the basis of ideology and not evidence amidst a national measles outbreak.

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 3d

Credit is complex, hard to apportion, and the top-line budget number "win" comes with a significant caveat.

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 3d

In a long-form piece, I address recent claims by the Editor-in-Chief of @science.org that "quiet" insiders rather than "heated" activists should be credited for passage of top-line budget numbers for science and medical research.

joshuasweitz.substack.com/p/science-ad...