Dina G. Markowitz
@dinamarkowitz.bsky.social
Scientist, educator, and entrepreneur. Horseback rider and dog lover.
Professor of Environmental Medicine at @urochester.bsky.social
President of @sciencetakeout.bsky.social
Professor of Environmental Medicine at @urochester.bsky.social
President of @sciencetakeout.bsky.social
Pinned
Reposted by Dina G. Markowitz
Ahead of the 1st shutdown of US food aid to hungry Americans in 60 years, some of the 200,000 Little Free Library locations are converting into food pantries. Thanks @littlefreelibrary.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Ahead of the 1st shutdown of US food aid to hungry Americans in 60 years, some of the 200,000 Little Free Library locations are converting into food pantries. Thanks @littlefreelibrary.bsky.social
Diphtheria, a Once Vanquished Killer of Children, Is Resurgent
www.nytimes.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:28 PM
This is highly unusual. I have received much of my grant funding from NIEHS.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
JD Vance officiated the wedding of new head of NIH environmental institute
Unusual hiring process raises fears of political favoritism
www.science.org
October 21, 2025 at 1:14 PM
This is highly unusual. I have received much of my grant funding from NIEHS.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
“A 2023 study in the Journal of Public Economics estimates that direct-to-consumer advertising drove about 31 percent of the rise in U.S. drug spending since 1997, when the F.D.A. relaxed ad restrictions.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/o...
Opinion | I Run the F.D.A. Pharma Ads Are Hurting Americans.
www.nytimes.com
September 13, 2025 at 7:56 PM
“A 2023 study in the Journal of Public Economics estimates that direct-to-consumer advertising drove about 31 percent of the rise in U.S. drug spending since 1997, when the F.D.A. relaxed ad restrictions.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/o...
“Europe bans substances it harbors doubts about, while the United States tends to allow substances unless there is solid evidence of harm. That may have something to do with the millions that companies spend lobbying and donating to political candidates.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...
Opinion | The Clue to Unlocking Parkinson’s May Be All Around Us
www.nytimes.com
September 8, 2025 at 11:44 AM
“Europe bans substances it harbors doubts about, while the United States tends to allow substances unless there is solid evidence of harm. That may have something to do with the millions that companies spend lobbying and donating to political candidates.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...
Important column from APHA on how to communicate and build trust- share stories, speak plainly and without jargon or acronyms (guilty here!), and engage new messengers publichealthnewswire.org?p=repairing-...
Op-ed: How to repair broken trust in public health | Public Health Newswire
publichealthnewswire.org
September 7, 2025 at 6:19 PM
“User complaints about Twitter included a noticeable increase in spam, porn, bots, and promoted posts from users who paid for a verification badge, many spreading extremist content…There were also complaints about the rise in misinformation…"
#SciComm
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
#SciComm
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Bluesky now platform of choice for science community
It’s not just you. Survey says: “Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky”…
arstechnica.com
September 7, 2025 at 1:16 AM
“User complaints about Twitter included a noticeable increase in spam, porn, bots, and promoted posts from users who paid for a verification badge, many spreading extremist content…There were also complaints about the rise in misinformation…"
#SciComm
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
#SciComm
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Dina G. Markowitz
With social media site Bluesky growing in popularity among academics, a new study has revealed how it measures up against X when it comes to sharing and promoting scientific research.
Science content on Bluesky attracts more engagement and originality than on X
New social media site is proving better for sharing research findings
www.chemistryworld.com
September 4, 2025 at 9:39 AM
With social media site Bluesky growing in popularity among academics, a new study has revealed how it measures up against X when it comes to sharing and promoting scientific research.
Florida Says It Plans to End All Vaccine Mandates
www.nytimes.com
September 3, 2025 at 5:36 PM
MAHA?
🧵
As of July 1, the CDC gutted its FoodNet program, slashing surveillance from 8 major foodborne pathogens down to just 2: salmonella a& E. coli.
No more federal tracking for campylobacter, cyclospora, listeria, shigella, vibrio, or yersinia.
As of July 1, the CDC gutted its FoodNet program, slashing surveillance from 8 major foodborne pathogens down to just 2: salmonella a& E. coli.
No more federal tracking for campylobacter, cyclospora, listeria, shigella, vibrio, or yersinia.
September 1, 2025 at 8:44 PM
MAHA?
MAHA?
Susan Monarez, the CDC Director who was sworn in a mere month ago, has been ousted.
RFK Jr. is really out there “building trust”.
RFK Jr. is really out there “building trust”.
CDC director being ousted weeks into job
Susan Monarez, a longtime federal government scientist, was confirmed by the Senate in late July to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:08 PM
MAHA?
This happened to me ~15 years ago when I was a junior faculty member. Bitter memories of my research contributions not being acknowledged by co-authorship of the resulting paper.
"The day the paper was published should have been a moment of pride. Instead, it felt like a quiet erasure." #ScienceWorkingLife https://scim.ag/4p3eH5g
August 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
This happened to me ~15 years ago when I was a junior faculty member. Bitter memories of my research contributions not being acknowledged by co-authorship of the resulting paper.
Reposted by Dina G. Markowitz
After 10 days of increasingly agitated deliberations, what was supposed to be the end of multilateral negotiations to create a global plastics treaty once again ended with no treaty, little progress toward one, and many raised tempers. cen.acs.org/environment/... #chemsky 🧪
UN plastics treaty talks fall apart once again
Way forward is murky, but many agree that something must change
cen.acs.org
August 16, 2025 at 7:17 PM
After 10 days of increasingly agitated deliberations, what was supposed to be the end of multilateral negotiations to create a global plastics treaty once again ended with no treaty, little progress toward one, and many raised tempers. cen.acs.org/environment/... #chemsky 🧪
Our appeal for my terminated NIH grant was unsuccessful.
“Due to the specific focus on culturally responsive education practices for underrepresented minority students, this project supports DEI and does not align with the agency’s priorities. Accordingly, the award will not be reinstated.”
“Due to the specific focus on culturally responsive education practices for underrepresented minority students, this project supports DEI and does not align with the agency’s priorities. Accordingly, the award will not be reinstated.”
August 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Our appeal for my terminated NIH grant was unsuccessful.
“Due to the specific focus on culturally responsive education practices for underrepresented minority students, this project supports DEI and does not align with the agency’s priorities. Accordingly, the award will not be reinstated.”
“Due to the specific focus on culturally responsive education practices for underrepresented minority students, this project supports DEI and does not align with the agency’s priorities. Accordingly, the award will not be reinstated.”
“…many scientists whose work depends on N.I.H. grants described the terminations as harrowing and bewildering. Many felt their research was not evaluated on its merits, but nixed because words like “race” or “gender” were in the project’s title or description.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/h...
Trump Administration Scraps Research Into Health Disparities
www.nytimes.com
August 13, 2025 at 8:04 PM
“…many scientists whose work depends on N.I.H. grants described the terminations as harrowing and bewildering. Many felt their research was not evaluated on its merits, but nixed because words like “race” or “gender” were in the project’s title or description.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/h...
Reposted by Dina G. Markowitz
I realize broad science-literacy problems cannot generally be solved just by shoving more facts at people but I really wish more people understood that the entire purpose and mechanism of a vaccine is to educate your OWN immune system, making it about the most "natural" medical intervention possible
August 8, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I realize broad science-literacy problems cannot generally be solved just by shoving more facts at people but I really wish more people understood that the entire purpose and mechanism of a vaccine is to educate your OWN immune system, making it about the most "natural" medical intervention possible
"Humans are porous beings, in ways more fluid than fortress. And though environmental contamination is not new it increasingly plays like a grievous violation..."
#SciComm
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/o...
#SciComm
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/o...
Opinion | You Are Contaminated
www.nytimes.com
August 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
"Humans are porous beings, in ways more fluid than fortress. And though environmental contamination is not new it increasingly plays like a grievous violation..."
#SciComm
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/o...
#SciComm
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/o...
Reposted by Dina G. Markowitz
Federal agencies hiding out in a bunker
July 31, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Federal agencies hiding out in a bunker
If you are visiting a National Park, consider participating in the “Save Our Signs” initiative.
sites.google.com/umn.edu/save...
sites.google.com/umn.edu/save...
Save Our Signs
Save Our Signs: Celebrate All-American History
sites.google.com
July 24, 2025 at 1:33 AM
If you are visiting a National Park, consider participating in the “Save Our Signs” initiative.
sites.google.com/umn.edu/save...
sites.google.com/umn.edu/save...
I needed this reminder today.
July 14, 2025 at 10:55 PM
I needed this reminder today.