Derek Chiang
@dychiang.bsky.social
Cancer computational biologist in Pharma
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Large language models (LLMs) may not reliably acknowledge a user’s incorrect beliefs, according to a paper in Nature Machine Intelligence. The findings highlight the need for careful use of LLM outputs in high-stakes decisions. go.nature.com/48VRpIQ 🧪
November 3, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Large language models (LLMs) may not reliably acknowledge a user’s incorrect beliefs, according to a paper in Nature Machine Intelligence. The findings highlight the need for careful use of LLM outputs in high-stakes decisions. go.nature.com/48VRpIQ 🧪
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Guaranteed funding for five years and a 20% increase in a $39K base stipend if you haul in a fellowship. World class facilities and faculty in metabolism, structural biology, epigenetics, and beyond. Grand Rapids is half the cost of living of California or Boston. Apply by December 1st if interested
October 22, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Guaranteed funding for five years and a 20% increase in a $39K base stipend if you haul in a fellowship. World class facilities and faculty in metabolism, structural biology, epigenetics, and beyond. Grand Rapids is half the cost of living of California or Boston. Apply by December 1st if interested
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Now online in Cancer Discovery @aacrjournals.bsky.social: Epigenetic Regulation of Chromosomal Instability by EZH2 Methyltransferase - by Yang Bai, Samuel Bakhoum, Vivek Mittal, and colleagues doi.org/10.1158/2159... @weillcornell.bsky.social
October 2, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Now online in Cancer Discovery @aacrjournals.bsky.social: Epigenetic Regulation of Chromosomal Instability by EZH2 Methyltransferase - by Yang Bai, Samuel Bakhoum, Vivek Mittal, and colleagues doi.org/10.1158/2159... @weillcornell.bsky.social
Reposted by Derek Chiang
How Diffusion Models Memorize
Juyeop Kim, Songkuk Kim, Jong-Seok Lee
tl;dr: classifier-free-guidance is to blame
arxiv.org/abs/2509.25705
Juyeop Kim, Songkuk Kim, Jong-Seok Lee
tl;dr: classifier-free-guidance is to blame
arxiv.org/abs/2509.25705
October 1, 2025 at 10:48 AM
How Diffusion Models Memorize
Juyeop Kim, Songkuk Kim, Jong-Seok Lee
tl;dr: classifier-free-guidance is to blame
arxiv.org/abs/2509.25705
Juyeop Kim, Songkuk Kim, Jong-Seok Lee
tl;dr: classifier-free-guidance is to blame
arxiv.org/abs/2509.25705
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Now online in Cancer Discovery @aacrjournals.bsky.social: Elevated Clonal Hematopoiesis in 9/11 First Responders Has Distinct Age-Related Patterns and Relies on IL1RAP for Clonal Expansion doi.org/10.1158/2159...
October 1, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Now online in Cancer Discovery @aacrjournals.bsky.social: Elevated Clonal Hematopoiesis in 9/11 First Responders Has Distinct Age-Related Patterns and Relies on IL1RAP for Clonal Expansion doi.org/10.1158/2159...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
In the new issue of @science.org, @yoshuabengio.bsky.social on the implications (illusions) of accepting A.I.'s consciousness
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 12, 2025 at 3:44 PM
In the new issue of @science.org, @yoshuabengio.bsky.social on the implications (illusions) of accepting A.I.'s consciousness
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Research from the Cancer Grand Challenges eDNyamiC team found that rogue rings of DNA appear early in glioblastoma, a very aggressive form of brain cancer.
Co-first author Imran Noorani explains how this work makes the case for early detection of these tumours.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-09...
Co-first author Imran Noorani explains how this work makes the case for early detection of these tumours.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-09...
Rogue DNA rings reveal earliest clues to deadly brain cancer’s growth
In a new study, published today in Cancer Discovery, the eDyNAmiC team, led by Paul Mischel at Stanford University, and collaborator Charlie Swanton at the Crick, integrated genomic and imaging data f...
www.crick.ac.uk
September 8, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Research from the Cancer Grand Challenges eDNyamiC team found that rogue rings of DNA appear early in glioblastoma, a very aggressive form of brain cancer.
Co-first author Imran Noorani explains how this work makes the case for early detection of these tumours.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-09...
Co-first author Imran Noorani explains how this work makes the case for early detection of these tumours.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-09...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice
Evolution has shaped the genetic code, with subtle pressures leading to preferences for some synonymous codons over others. Codons are translated at different speeds by the ribosome, imposing constrai...
www.biorxiv.org
August 7, 2025 at 8:29 AM
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
For who still thinks this can’t happen here… it’s already happening.
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
Every Scientific Empire Comes to an End
America’s run as the premiere techno-superpower may be over.
www.theatlantic.com
July 31, 2025 at 2:47 PM
For who still thinks this can’t happen here… it’s already happening.
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Speak up to prevent a major loss for the field. CASP, which helped shaping structural biology including AlphaFold is on the verge of shutting down. NIH funding has lapsed, UC Davis support ends and the core team is being let go. Painfully shortsighted.
Exclusive: Famed protein structure competition nears end as NIH grant money runs out
Agency silent on funding renewal for contest that inspired creation of AIs that predicted how proteins would fold
www.science.org
July 4, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Speak up to prevent a major loss for the field. CASP, which helped shaping structural biology including AlphaFold is on the verge of shutting down. NIH funding has lapsed, UC Davis support ends and the core team is being let go. Painfully shortsighted.
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Mak and colleagues find that double positive thymocytes express α9 nicotinic ACh receptors and these control negative selection. Read it here: rdcu.be/epjNm
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Cholinergic regulation of thymocyte negative selection
Nature Immunology - Acetylcholine–α9 nAChR signaling regulates thymic negative selection.
rdcu.be
June 3, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Mak and colleagues find that double positive thymocytes express α9 nicotinic ACh receptors and these control negative selection. Read it here: rdcu.be/epjNm
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
22 years ago I pivoted from working on antibiotic resistance to pandemic viruses.
Since then, I've argued that if we care about saving US lives in expectation, advance capacity for producing bird flu vaccine offers by far the greatest expected return on investment.
...
We were so goddamn close.
Since then, I've argued that if we care about saving US lives in expectation, advance capacity for producing bird flu vaccine offers by far the greatest expected return on investment.
...
We were so goddamn close.
Trump administration cancels plans to develop a bird flu vaccine
The Department of Health and Human Services is ending a $766 million contract with the vaccine company Moderna to develop an mRNA vaccine for flu strains with pandemic potential, including bird flu.
www.npr.org
May 29, 2025 at 4:48 AM
22 years ago I pivoted from working on antibiotic resistance to pandemic viruses.
Since then, I've argued that if we care about saving US lives in expectation, advance capacity for producing bird flu vaccine offers by far the greatest expected return on investment.
...
We were so goddamn close.
Since then, I've argued that if we care about saving US lives in expectation, advance capacity for producing bird flu vaccine offers by far the greatest expected return on investment.
...
We were so goddamn close.
Reposted by Derek Chiang
NIH funding supporting the HMMER and Infernal software projects has been terminated. NIH states that our work, as well as all other federally funded research at Harvard, is of no benefit to the US.
May 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
NIH funding supporting the HMMER and Infernal software projects has been terminated. NIH states that our work, as well as all other federally funded research at Harvard, is of no benefit to the US.
Reposted by Derek Chiang
The National Cancer Institute has disbanded its Board of Scientific Advisors — a group of experts that played a vital role in shaping the future of U.S. cancer research. Here’s why that matters. 🧵
April 29, 2025 at 7:50 PM
The National Cancer Institute has disbanded its Board of Scientific Advisors — a group of experts that played a vital role in shaping the future of U.S. cancer research. Here’s why that matters. 🧵
Reposted by Derek Chiang
I wrote something up for AI people who want to get into bluesky and either couldn't assemble an exciting feed or gave up doomscrolling when their Following feed switched to talking politics 24/7.
The AI Researcher's Guide to a Non-Boring Bluesky Feed | Naomi Saphra
How to migrate to bsky without a boring feed.
nsaphra.net
April 26, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I wrote something up for AI people who want to get into bluesky and either couldn't assemble an exciting feed or gave up doomscrolling when their Following feed switched to talking politics 24/7.
Reposted by Derek Chiang
I am a professor at Columbia University. All of the student NIH training grants have been canceled and now there are reports that ALL funding will be frozen. Why are Universities not banding together and speaking out publicly and forcibly about governmental attacks on biomedical research?
April 11, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I am a professor at Columbia University. All of the student NIH training grants have been canceled and now there are reports that ALL funding will be frozen. Why are Universities not banding together and speaking out publicly and forcibly about governmental attacks on biomedical research?
Reposted by Derek Chiang
A paper in Nature presents a method for breaking down perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), environmental contaminants known as ‘forever chemicals,’ while recycling the fluoride contained within them. https://go.nature.com/3Rk1dCf #chemsky 🧪
April 8, 2025 at 1:21 AM
A paper in Nature presents a method for breaking down perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), environmental contaminants known as ‘forever chemicals,’ while recycling the fluoride contained within them. https://go.nature.com/3Rk1dCf #chemsky 🧪
Reposted by Derek Chiang
RFK Jr is cutting Alzheimer's research to the tune of $3.9 billion.
I can't state this more clearly. The fraction of the American population that is elderly and susceptible to dementia is large and growing fast. This is a critical population health crisis. It needs more attention, not less.
I can't state this more clearly. The fraction of the American population that is elderly and susceptible to dementia is large and growing fast. This is a critical population health crisis. It needs more attention, not less.
April 2, 2025 at 8:58 PM
RFK Jr is cutting Alzheimer's research to the tune of $3.9 billion.
I can't state this more clearly. The fraction of the American population that is elderly and susceptible to dementia is large and growing fast. This is a critical population health crisis. It needs more attention, not less.
I can't state this more clearly. The fraction of the American population that is elderly and susceptible to dementia is large and growing fast. This is a critical population health crisis. It needs more attention, not less.
Reposted by Derek Chiang
We urge all leaders, for the good of their nations’ health, not to ignore or contradict advice that is supported by a consensus of evidence from research.
https://go.nature.com/43Rfr5a
https://go.nature.com/43Rfr5a
Vaccines save lives. Leaders must champion them
Attacks on vaccines and the cancellation of research into what causes vaccine hesitancy puts people in harm’s way.
go.nature.com
March 18, 2025 at 5:27 PM
We urge all leaders, for the good of their nations’ health, not to ignore or contradict advice that is supported by a consensus of evidence from research.
https://go.nature.com/43Rfr5a
https://go.nature.com/43Rfr5a
Reposted by Derek Chiang
They're called public records for a reason. Starting today, WIRED will *stop paywalling* articles that are primarily based on public records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, becoming the first publication to partner with @freedom.press to offer this for our new coverage.
Wired is dropping paywalls for FOIA-based reporting. Others should follow
As the administration does its best to hide public records from the public, Wired magazine is stepping up to help stem the secrecy
freedom.press
March 18, 2025 at 1:11 PM
They're called public records for a reason. Starting today, WIRED will *stop paywalling* articles that are primarily based on public records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, becoming the first publication to partner with @freedom.press to offer this for our new coverage.
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
March 1, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
1. Some #flu news:
This has been a big flu year. #CDC reported a couple of weeks ago that this has been a high severity season for all age groups & has been one of the worst seasons in years. Eg: the cumulative hospitalization rate for the week ending 2/22 is the highest seen since the 2010-11.
This has been a big flu year. #CDC reported a couple of weeks ago that this has been a high severity season for all age groups & has been one of the worst seasons in years. Eg: the cumulative hospitalization rate for the week ending 2/22 is the highest seen since the 2010-11.
March 1, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Friends, I am at a loss of words for how devastating it would be to lose the entire intramural #NIH program. Some of the biggest medical and scientific breakthroughs have come from scientists in the NIH Intramural program. #SaveTheNIH 🧬🧪 🖥️ 🧠
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
NIH ban on renewing senior scientists adds to assaults on its in-house research
Policy follows firings of tenure-track scientists and suspension of training programs
www.science.org
February 27, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Friends, I am at a loss of words for how devastating it would be to lose the entire intramural #NIH program. Some of the biggest medical and scientific breakthroughs have come from scientists in the NIH Intramural program. #SaveTheNIH 🧬🧪 🖥️ 🧠
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Derek Chiang
Early signs of deception, cheating & self-preservation in top-performing models in terms of reasoning are extremely worrisome. We don't know how to guarantee AI won't have undesired behavior to reach goals & this must be addressed before deploying powerful autonomous agents.
time.com/7259395/ai-c...
time.com/7259395/ai-c...
When AI Thinks It Will Lose, It Sometimes Cheats
When sensing defeat in a match against a skilled chess bot, advanced models sometimes hack their opponent, a study found.
time.com
February 20, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Early signs of deception, cheating & self-preservation in top-performing models in terms of reasoning are extremely worrisome. We don't know how to guarantee AI won't have undesired behavior to reach goals & this must be addressed before deploying powerful autonomous agents.
time.com/7259395/ai-c...
time.com/7259395/ai-c...