Chris Fetsch
@cfetsch.bsky.social
neuroscientist, Baltimorean, indecisive social media profile writer
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
We figured out to *cure cancer* (ref: last year’s pancreatic cancer trials) and the Trump administration decided “nah.” That a society could reject a cure for cancer is astounding.
We could have had cancer vaccines, and instead the United States will contribute nothing whatsoever to mRNA research, condemning millions of people worldwide to unnecessary illness and death
WASHINGTON (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces he will cancel $500 million in vaccine development projects.
August 6, 2025 at 12:07 AM
We figured out to *cure cancer* (ref: last year’s pancreatic cancer trials) and the Trump administration decided “nah.” That a society could reject a cure for cancer is astounding.
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
You have about 24 hours to voice your opinion, please do!
🧠📈
🧠📈
July 13, 2025 at 9:25 PM
You have about 24 hours to voice your opinion, please do!
🧠📈
🧠📈
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
👇🏻👇🏻Fantastic article written by @jasonsynaptic.bsky.social on why we still need Animal Research. 🧫 🧬 🧪 🧠
#neuroskyence
#academicsky
#neuroskyence
#academicsky
While I’m a big fan of new technologies that help us study human biology…there’s still no replacement for animal research! See my article in Gen News. www.genengnews.com/topics/trans...
Why We Still Need Animal Research in a World of AI and Organoids
The portrayal of uncaring scientists without any thought for the animals being used in their research is far from the truth.
www.genengnews.com
July 12, 2025 at 12:36 PM
👇🏻👇🏻Fantastic article written by @jasonsynaptic.bsky.social on why we still need Animal Research. 🧫 🧬 🧪 🧠
#neuroskyence
#academicsky
#neuroskyence
#academicsky
Comment! Word is the number of comments really matters. One should not assume that advocates of reducing animal research are fully aware of the field-specific reasons why it remains necessary for most biomedical questions. Explain it to them.
Science peeps action alert - time for comments at this link. Let FDA/NIH know that NAMS are not ready for prime time.... #Neuroskyence #MedSky #academicsky
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
FDA-NIH Workshop: Reducing Animal Testing
The FDA is hosting a workshop on reducing animal testing. The workshop is open to current FDA and NIH employees.
www.fda.gov
July 11, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Comment! Word is the number of comments really matters. One should not assume that advocates of reducing animal research are fully aware of the field-specific reasons why it remains necessary for most biomedical questions. Explain it to them.
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
Science peeps action alert - time for comments at this link. Let FDA/NIH know that NAMS are not ready for prime time.... #Neuroskyence #MedSky #academicsky
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
FDA-NIH Workshop: Reducing Animal Testing
The FDA is hosting a workshop on reducing animal testing. The workshop is open to current FDA and NIH employees.
www.fda.gov
July 11, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Science peeps action alert - time for comments at this link. Let FDA/NIH know that NAMS are not ready for prime time.... #Neuroskyence #MedSky #academicsky
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
A broad group of National Institutes of Health (NIH) public servants have taken action with the "Bethesda Declaration" that targets the NIH and HHS Leadership. Join these courageous and committed professionals by adding your name now. actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...
ADD YOUR NAME: Sign the Open Letter in Support of NIH Staff
Join the courageous and committed National Institutes of Health (NIH) public servants by adding your name now.
actionnetwork.org
June 9, 2025 at 2:07 PM
A broad group of National Institutes of Health (NIH) public servants have taken action with the "Bethesda Declaration" that targets the NIH and HHS Leadership. Join these courageous and committed professionals by adding your name now. actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
After the brutal reality of dealing with student papers in the ChatGPT era finally hit me, here are a few tactics that I've found at least somewhat effective in getting students to do their own writing: 🧵
May 7, 2025 at 1:36 PM
After the brutal reality of dealing with student papers in the ChatGPT era finally hit me, here are a few tactics that I've found at least somewhat effective in getting students to do their own writing: 🧵
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
I've received additional confirmation, as well as an email I can share publicly.
See the directive NIH grants management staff received from Michelle Bulls, director of extramural policy at NIH:
See the directive NIH grants management staff received from Michelle Bulls, director of extramural policy at NIH:
April 18, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I've received additional confirmation, as well as an email I can share publicly.
See the directive NIH grants management staff received from Michelle Bulls, director of extramural policy at NIH:
See the directive NIH grants management staff received from Michelle Bulls, director of extramural policy at NIH:
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
I had been doubtful that we were going to have a "this is the crisis moment" with Trump, as opposed to "everything about this is a destructive catastrophe."
But the Abrego Garcia case is the crisis moment.
1/
But the Abrego Garcia case is the crisis moment.
1/
April 14, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I had been doubtful that we were going to have a "this is the crisis moment" with Trump, as opposed to "everything about this is a destructive catastrophe."
But the Abrego Garcia case is the crisis moment.
1/
But the Abrego Garcia case is the crisis moment.
1/
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
This Tufts student was grabbed off the street, cuffed and taken out of state solely because she co-wrote a completely respectful oped in the student paper.
And Rubio’s State Dept now admits they have nothing more damning than that.
Gift link wapo.st/4j8d5Uh
And Rubio’s State Dept now admits they have nothing more damning than that.
Gift link wapo.st/4j8d5Uh
No evidence linking Tufts student to antisemitism or terrorism, State Dept. office found
An internal memo, prepared before Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk was detained by ICE, raises doubts about the Trump administration’s claims that she supports Hamas.
wapo.st
April 14, 2025 at 12:37 AM
This Tufts student was grabbed off the street, cuffed and taken out of state solely because she co-wrote a completely respectful oped in the student paper.
And Rubio’s State Dept now admits they have nothing more damning than that.
Gift link wapo.st/4j8d5Uh
And Rubio’s State Dept now admits they have nothing more damning than that.
Gift link wapo.st/4j8d5Uh
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
going to start calling myself a centrist and then listing all my leftist views as proof, just going to start moving the overton window by force
March 31, 2025 at 12:37 PM
going to start calling myself a centrist and then listing all my leftist views as proof, just going to start moving the overton window by force
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
One of many moments in Omar El Akkad’s new book, “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” that will stop you in your tracks.
March 29, 2025 at 8:31 PM
One of many moments in Omar El Akkad’s new book, “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” that will stop you in your tracks.
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
The decision a lot of universities face now is whether to:
-- have their federal funding pulled because they stood on principle to protect their students and the integrity of their research, or
-- have their funding pulled anyway just because they exist, regardless of how cravenly they submit.
-- have their federal funding pulled because they stood on principle to protect their students and the integrity of their research, or
-- have their funding pulled anyway just because they exist, regardless of how cravenly they submit.
March 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
The decision a lot of universities face now is whether to:
-- have their federal funding pulled because they stood on principle to protect their students and the integrity of their research, or
-- have their funding pulled anyway just because they exist, regardless of how cravenly they submit.
-- have their federal funding pulled because they stood on principle to protect their students and the integrity of their research, or
-- have their funding pulled anyway just because they exist, regardless of how cravenly they submit.
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
I defy Bret Stephens to go to Columbia or Berkeley for one single day. Just an absurd caricature. Turn off your laptop (which is feeding you a handful of extreme, unrepresentative anecdotes) and walk around.
One columnist, a professional pundit, is living in a paranoid delusion. The other, a sociologist, is living in America.
March 15, 2025 at 1:32 PM
I defy Bret Stephens to go to Columbia or Berkeley for one single day. Just an absurd caricature. Turn off your laptop (which is feeding you a handful of extreme, unrepresentative anecdotes) and walk around.
Oh hell yeah.
It seems Yale will do this for at least some time.
"We have developed guidelines and a mechanism for bridge funding for any faculty member who receives a premature termination notice for an active grant due to a policy change"
yaledailynews.com/blog/2025/02...
"We have developed guidelines and a mechanism for bridge funding for any faculty member who receives a premature termination notice for an active grant due to a policy change"
yaledailynews.com/blog/2025/02...
Yale to provide funding for researchers and graduate students after federal research funding cuts
The Yale School of Medicine announced new mechanisms to support researchers facing unanticipated funding gaps. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will invest $4 million in additional graduate st...
yaledailynews.com
March 12, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Oh hell yeah.
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
Last year, I was overjoyed to receive an NIH NRSA fellowship to study toddler brains and caregiving effects on memory at Columbia. Last night, my grant was terminated.
March 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Last year, I was overjoyed to receive an NIH NRSA fellowship to study toddler brains and caregiving effects on memory at Columbia. Last night, my grant was terminated.
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
Me, whenever I'm asked how it's going
March 11, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Me, whenever I'm asked how it's going
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
1. You feel powerless? Don’t know what you can do to resist the rise of fascism?
Here is an answer: Good Things.
Fascism inflicts pain and harm as a matter of doctrine.
Kindness, care and conviviality defend us from it.
The more we build community, the less it can take root.
🧵
Here is an answer: Good Things.
Fascism inflicts pain and harm as a matter of doctrine.
Kindness, care and conviviality defend us from it.
The more we build community, the less it can take root.
🧵
March 10, 2025 at 1:12 PM
1. You feel powerless? Don’t know what you can do to resist the rise of fascism?
Here is an answer: Good Things.
Fascism inflicts pain and harm as a matter of doctrine.
Kindness, care and conviviality defend us from it.
The more we build community, the less it can take root.
🧵
Here is an answer: Good Things.
Fascism inflicts pain and harm as a matter of doctrine.
Kindness, care and conviviality defend us from it.
The more we build community, the less it can take root.
🧵
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
the leap from disappearing the undocumented to disappearing visa holders to disappearing green card holders to disappearing naturalized citizens to disappearing natural born citizens is no leap at all, but a series of tiny steps
block the path
block the path
March 9, 2025 at 8:31 PM
the leap from disappearing the undocumented to disappearing visa holders to disappearing green card holders to disappearing naturalized citizens to disappearing natural born citizens is no leap at all, but a series of tiny steps
block the path
block the path
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
What to do about PhD admissions this cycle. Can we think creatively about ways not to lose this cohort? None of the ideas below are great, but maybe some are better than nothing: 1/
March 8, 2025 at 6:18 PM
What to do about PhD admissions this cycle. Can we think creatively about ways not to lose this cohort? None of the ideas below are great, but maybe some are better than nothing: 1/
"Meep."
I think Beaker's expression captures a bit of how we all are feeling lately, but it was an inspiring day overall. Francis Collins was my favorite speaker (and music act).
#standupforscience
@standupforscience.bsky.social
I think Beaker's expression captures a bit of how we all are feeling lately, but it was an inspiring day overall. Francis Collins was my favorite speaker (and music act).
#standupforscience
@standupforscience.bsky.social
March 8, 2025 at 6:40 PM
"Meep."
I think Beaker's expression captures a bit of how we all are feeling lately, but it was an inspiring day overall. Francis Collins was my favorite speaker (and music act).
#standupforscience
@standupforscience.bsky.social
I think Beaker's expression captures a bit of how we all are feeling lately, but it was an inspiring day overall. Francis Collins was my favorite speaker (and music act).
#standupforscience
@standupforscience.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Fetsch
As a former Fulbright Scholar (in Chile), I personally understand how terrifying this is. U.S. citizens around the world & foreign nationals in the U.S. — all Fulbright Scholars — have now had their incomes eliminated & are stranded.
DOGE is an illegal, criminal operation that must be shut down.
DOGE is an illegal, criminal operation that must be shut down.
Just got an email from the Fulbright Association. As of right now, funding has been cut off to 12,500 US citizens currently abroad and and more than 7,400 foreigner scholars and students in the United States
March 7, 2025 at 11:34 PM
As a former Fulbright Scholar (in Chile), I personally understand how terrifying this is. U.S. citizens around the world & foreign nationals in the U.S. — all Fulbright Scholars — have now had their incomes eliminated & are stranded.
DOGE is an illegal, criminal operation that must be shut down.
DOGE is an illegal, criminal operation that must be shut down.