Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
@apragman.bsky.social
Lung microbiome researcher, infectious disease clinician, parent, bike commuter, and snow-lover in Minneapolis. Views my own, not my employer's.
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
do you ever stare at the ceiling and think about how the worldwide scientific establishment did the impossible and created a COVID vaccine in under a year and the response of the general public has been to go on an unstoppable rampage to destroy science and scientists
July 20, 2025 at 6:46 PM
do you ever stare at the ceiling and think about how the worldwide scientific establishment did the impossible and created a COVID vaccine in under a year and the response of the general public has been to go on an unstoppable rampage to destroy science and scientists
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
You may have missed this with all the other news going on.
But if you are a veteran or care about our veterans, I hope you pay attention. 🧵👇🏻
But if you are a veteran or care about our veterans, I hope you pay attention. 🧵👇🏻
July 8, 2025 at 6:39 PM
You may have missed this with all the other news going on.
But if you are a veteran or care about our veterans, I hope you pay attention. 🧵👇🏻
But if you are a veteran or care about our veterans, I hope you pay attention. 🧵👇🏻
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
CDC ACIP presentation tomorrow on thimerosal.
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
Does Page 20 have a fake citation?
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
Does Page 20 have a fake citation?
www.cdc.gov
June 24, 2025 at 7:33 PM
CDC ACIP presentation tomorrow on thimerosal.
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
Does Page 20 have a fake citation?
www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...
Does Page 20 have a fake citation?
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
“Imagine if the captain of the Titanic had told you that you need to be careful about lifeboats and think about other opportunities,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, president of the Infectious Disease Society of America. #medsky #measles
www.boston.com/news/health/...
www.boston.com/news/health/...
RFK Jr.'s mixed message about the measles outbreaks draws criticism from health officials
Kennedy's inconsistent and unclear message on the measles vaccines has also made the outbreaks difficult to contain, experts say.
www.boston.com
April 16, 2025 at 3:41 PM
“Imagine if the captain of the Titanic had told you that you need to be careful about lifeboats and think about other opportunities,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, president of the Infectious Disease Society of America. #medsky #measles
www.boston.com/news/health/...
www.boston.com/news/health/...
Last day for early bird registration for ATS 2025 and our lung microbiome course!
Happy to again co-chair the American Thoracic Society Conference Post-Grad Course "A Hands-On Introduction to Studying the Lung Microbiome" with Bob Dickson and Leo Segal in San Francisco on May 16! Register here: tinyurl.com/Lung-microbi...
@ats-pitb.bsky.social
@ats-pitb.bsky.social
March 13, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Last day for early bird registration for ATS 2025 and our lung microbiome course!
Happy to again co-chair the American Thoracic Society Conference Post-Grad Course "A Hands-On Introduction to Studying the Lung Microbiome" with Bob Dickson and Leo Segal in San Francisco on May 16! Register here: tinyurl.com/Lung-microbi...
@ats-pitb.bsky.social
@ats-pitb.bsky.social
March 4, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Happy to again co-chair the American Thoracic Society Conference Post-Grad Course "A Hands-On Introduction to Studying the Lung Microbiome" with Bob Dickson and Leo Segal in San Francisco on May 16! Register here: tinyurl.com/Lung-microbi...
@ats-pitb.bsky.social
@ats-pitb.bsky.social
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
Most on this site know that federal workers are good people who work hard.
But it's striking to see the data.
Federal workers put in more hours a week than anyone except military and self-employed.
Federal workers take fewer days off than almost any others
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
But it's striking to see the data.
Federal workers put in more hours a week than anyone except military and self-employed.
Federal workers take fewer days off than almost any others
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
February 24, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Most on this site know that federal workers are good people who work hard.
But it's striking to see the data.
Federal workers put in more hours a week than anyone except military and self-employed.
Federal workers take fewer days off than almost any others
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
But it's striking to see the data.
Federal workers put in more hours a week than anyone except military and self-employed.
Federal workers take fewer days off than almost any others
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
It is extremely hard to keep community care coordinators because the job is very stressful and demanding. So there is a lot of probational employees. All of them were fired at the VA in Toma Wisconsin today. Who will do the scheduling now so that Service members get the healthcare they need.
February 26, 2025 at 10:25 PM
It is extremely hard to keep community care coordinators because the job is very stressful and demanding. So there is a lot of probational employees. All of them were fired at the VA in Toma Wisconsin today. Who will do the scheduling now so that Service members get the healthcare they need.
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
It is really hard to watch people willfully tear down an infrastructure that allowed us to double lifespans, drastically reduce poverty, and become one of the richest countries in the world.
February 26, 2025 at 11:16 PM
It is really hard to watch people willfully tear down an infrastructure that allowed us to double lifespans, drastically reduce poverty, and become one of the richest countries in the world.
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
Ensuring the “event” in preventable happens.
February 27, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Ensuring the “event” in preventable happens.
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
"VA researchers whose contracts are about to expire . . . will not be renewed, even when funding [through extramural grants is] in place to pay them. Should the VA continue this policy . . . over the months to come, the entire VA research workforce could be decimated."
NIH cuts are getting the press, but VA research is getting slashed too. What do we lose when VA research goes away? Here's some greatest hits: The nicotine patch, invention of the cardiac pacemaker, first successful liver transplant, development of the CAT/CT scan
prospect.org/health/2025-...
prospect.org/health/2025-...
VA Research Funding Slashed
Though not as prominent as the NIH, VA researchers play a major role in advancing basic health science. Hundreds of projects have been cut.
prospect.org
February 25, 2025 at 10:16 PM
"VA researchers whose contracts are about to expire . . . will not be renewed, even when funding [through extramural grants is] in place to pay them. Should the VA continue this policy . . . over the months to come, the entire VA research workforce could be decimated."
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
Dear Manager:
1) I changed that stupid lock
2) I made you leave your key
3) I knew for just one email
4) You'd be back to bother me
5) I will survive!
1) I changed that stupid lock
2) I made you leave your key
3) I knew for just one email
4) You'd be back to bother me
5) I will survive!
February 23, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Dear Manager:
1) I changed that stupid lock
2) I made you leave your key
3) I knew for just one email
4) You'd be back to bother me
5) I will survive!
1) I changed that stupid lock
2) I made you leave your key
3) I knew for just one email
4) You'd be back to bother me
5) I will survive!
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
Gene editing technology began by people studying salt marshes. Ozempic began by folks studying the venom of Gila Monsters. Support for basic science has empowered us to understand our world. Tethering it to applications health has transformed and saved countless lives.
February 8, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Gene editing technology began by people studying salt marshes. Ozempic began by folks studying the venom of Gila Monsters. Support for basic science has empowered us to understand our world. Tethering it to applications health has transformed and saved countless lives.
Reposted by Alexa Pragman, MD, PhD
Government isn't a business. The goal isn't to save money. Success isn't measured by budget surplus.
The goal is to spend money, investing in society. Every dollar spent on education, healthcare, and science is an investment in our collective wellbeing.
The goal is to spend money, investing in society. Every dollar spent on education, healthcare, and science is an investment in our collective wellbeing.
February 8, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Government isn't a business. The goal isn't to save money. Success isn't measured by budget surplus.
The goal is to spend money, investing in society. Every dollar spent on education, healthcare, and science is an investment in our collective wellbeing.
The goal is to spend money, investing in society. Every dollar spent on education, healthcare, and science is an investment in our collective wellbeing.
The unintended consequences will be disastrous. My grants and papers on the microbiome discuss "community diversity" often, but with a very different meaning.
Our system of academic freedom & peer review is meant to fund quality work of any type, even if one powerful person doesn't like it.
Our system of academic freedom & peer review is meant to fund quality work of any type, even if one powerful person doesn't like it.
🚨BREAKING. From a program officer at the National Science Foundation, a list of keywords that can cause a grant to be pulled. I will be sharing screenshots of these keywords along with a decision tree. Please share widely. This is a crisis for academic freedom & science.
February 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The unintended consequences will be disastrous. My grants and papers on the microbiome discuss "community diversity" often, but with a very different meaning.
Our system of academic freedom & peer review is meant to fund quality work of any type, even if one powerful person doesn't like it.
Our system of academic freedom & peer review is meant to fund quality work of any type, even if one powerful person doesn't like it.
New pub on immunocompromised host pneumonia and inborn errors of immunity! A great chance to work with Rachel Husmann, Alice Lehman, and Ryan Nelson.
Thanks to editors Bashar Staitieh, Scott Evans, Julio A. Ramirez, and Guang-Shing Cheng for the opportunity!
authors.elsevier.com/a/1kB7wzzkx-...
Thanks to editors Bashar Staitieh, Scott Evans, Julio A. Ramirez, and Guang-Shing Cheng for the opportunity!
authors.elsevier.com/a/1kB7wzzkx-...
authors.elsevier.com
December 3, 2024 at 6:13 PM
New pub on immunocompromised host pneumonia and inborn errors of immunity! A great chance to work with Rachel Husmann, Alice Lehman, and Ryan Nelson.
Thanks to editors Bashar Staitieh, Scott Evans, Julio A. Ramirez, and Guang-Shing Cheng for the opportunity!
authors.elsevier.com/a/1kB7wzzkx-...
Thanks to editors Bashar Staitieh, Scott Evans, Julio A. Ramirez, and Guang-Shing Cheng for the opportunity!
authors.elsevier.com/a/1kB7wzzkx-...