Metabo_Dave
@metabodave.bsky.social
Mourning the days when all we talked about was font choice, reference styles and glam humping.
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Why the fuck do we have to use SciENcv? Have spent all morning porting information and all you get is a pdf that is poorly formatted back? Doesn't even put my name on it. What was wrong with us using a template word doc? JFC what a waste of time.
January 6, 2026 at 6:44 PM
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Even by current standards, it's amazing how quickly this has been normalized.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, tells me Trump would need Congress’ approval to put US troops in Venezuela: “To put boots on the ground? In my opinion, yes.”
She adds: “If you're talking long-term commitment as opposed to responding to an emergency, or doing a very limited operation, as was the case.”
She adds: “If you're talking long-term commitment as opposed to responding to an emergency, or doing a very limited operation, as was the case.”
January 5, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Even by current standards, it's amazing how quickly this has been normalized.
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
I just can’t believe a FIFA Peace Prize winner would do this.
January 3, 2026 at 1:24 PM
I just can’t believe a FIFA Peace Prize winner would do this.
2026 can't be worse than 2025, right?
......right?
......right?
January 1, 2026 at 10:09 PM
2026 can't be worse than 2025, right?
......right?
......right?
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
“The quiet power of program officers lies not in control, but in care. Care for the science, for the people who conduct it, and for the public it is meant to serve.”
This is an outstanding essay describing some of the important roles and influences of NIH program officers (from an insider perspective).
Read!
elizabethginexi.substack.com/p/the-quiet-...
Read!
elizabethginexi.substack.com/p/the-quiet-...
The Quiet Power of Program Officers
How invisible decisions shape what science gets done—and whether it matters
elizabethginexi.substack.com
December 28, 2025 at 12:35 PM
“The quiet power of program officers lies not in control, but in care. Care for the science, for the people who conduct it, and for the public it is meant to serve.”
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
The Senate version of the NIH appropriations bill has language that limits the use of multiyear/upfront funding. Please call your Senators and Representatives to make sure it is in the final bill.
We must stop the brain drain in our research workforce before it's too late.
We must stop the brain drain in our research workforce before it's too late.
December 23, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The Senate version of the NIH appropriations bill has language that limits the use of multiyear/upfront funding. Please call your Senators and Representatives to make sure it is in the final bill.
We must stop the brain drain in our research workforce before it's too late.
We must stop the brain drain in our research workforce before it's too late.
You didn't think FY26 was going to be better, did you?
New and Competitive Renewal Awards (Through December 12)
Fiscal Year 2024
New: 608
Competitive Renewal: 78
Fiscal Year 2025
New: 662
Competitive Renewal: 58
Fiscal Year 2025
New: 0
Competitive Renewal: 0
Fiscal Year 2024
New: 608
Competitive Renewal: 78
Fiscal Year 2025
New: 662
Competitive Renewal: 58
Fiscal Year 2025
New: 0
Competitive Renewal: 0
a man in a suit and tie is sitting in front of a screen that says gifbin.com on it
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting in front of a screen that says gifbin.com on it
media.tenor.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:16 PM
You didn't think FY26 was going to be better, did you?
The NSF is being brutally murdered.
The National Science Board, which oversees NSF, has published recommendations to update the foundation's merit review (which was just updated).
Below are the main points. www.nsf.gov/nsb/updates/...
Below are the main points. www.nsf.gov/nsb/updates/...
December 17, 2025 at 8:31 PM
The NSF is being brutally murdered.
So now that paylines are not a thing across the NIH, how exactly are we making funding decisions? Serious question.
December 17, 2025 at 7:02 PM
So now that paylines are not a thing across the NIH, how exactly are we making funding decisions? Serious question.
Ridiculous. I'm reviewing a paper in a fancy journal that looks just like this. It's literally unreadable and impossible to review. I honestly don't know what these journals are thinking.
Wow this is a seriously serious supplementary figure from @cellpress.bsky.social today. Panels A through UU.
I get that Cell likes to minimize the number of supplementary figures. But is this really what is happening here?
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
I get that Cell likes to minimize the number of supplementary figures. But is this really what is happening here?
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
December 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Ridiculous. I'm reviewing a paper in a fancy journal that looks just like this. It's literally unreadable and impossible to review. I honestly don't know what these journals are thinking.
We can't work with foreign collaborators, but they can send money to a foreign PI to conduct an ethically questionable study in a vulnerable population in another foreign country?
This is what corruption looks like.
This is what corruption looks like.
December 17, 2025 at 5:34 PM
We can't work with foreign collaborators, but they can send money to a foreign PI to conduct an ethically questionable study in a vulnerable population in another foreign country?
This is what corruption looks like.
This is what corruption looks like.
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
Explore the first seven parts of American Science, Shattered
A multipart series on how the Trump administration has disrupted labs, upended lives, and delayed discoveries.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
A multipart series on how the Trump administration has disrupted labs, upended lives, and delayed discoveries.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
American Science, Shattered
An eight-decade partnership between universities and the federal government made U.S. science preeminent. It took Trump less than a year to shred that
www.statnews.com
December 14, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Explore the first seven parts of American Science, Shattered
A multipart series on how the Trump administration has disrupted labs, upended lives, and delayed discoveries.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
A multipart series on how the Trump administration has disrupted labs, upended lives, and delayed discoveries.
www.statnews.com/american-sci...
One point about the payline issue that is important. Yes, many ICs were doing a version of this, but it requires clear communication, priorities, planning and leadership. That's largely gone and for ICs that weren't doing this already, there is no scaffolding in place. Paylines are a lot easier.
My current NIH situation
- FY25 R01 scored 10% at DK, dropped in July because of MYF
- Resubmitted as A1 immediately, study section cancelled due to shutdown.
- January council now....delayed presumably?
- Paylines gone. PO has zero idea what grants will/won't be funded
- FY26 CR = more chaos
- FY25 R01 scored 10% at DK, dropped in July because of MYF
- Resubmitted as A1 immediately, study section cancelled due to shutdown.
- January council now....delayed presumably?
- Paylines gone. PO has zero idea what grants will/won't be funded
- FY26 CR = more chaos
December 12, 2025 at 1:59 PM
One point about the payline issue that is important. Yes, many ICs were doing a version of this, but it requires clear communication, priorities, planning and leadership. That's largely gone and for ICs that weren't doing this already, there is no scaffolding in place. Paylines are a lot easier.
My current NIH situation
- FY25 R01 scored 10% at DK, dropped in July because of MYF
- Resubmitted as A1 immediately, study section cancelled due to shutdown.
- January council now....delayed presumably?
- Paylines gone. PO has zero idea what grants will/won't be funded
- FY26 CR = more chaos
- FY25 R01 scored 10% at DK, dropped in July because of MYF
- Resubmitted as A1 immediately, study section cancelled due to shutdown.
- January council now....delayed presumably?
- Paylines gone. PO has zero idea what grants will/won't be funded
- FY26 CR = more chaos
December 12, 2025 at 1:53 PM
My current NIH situation
- FY25 R01 scored 10% at DK, dropped in July because of MYF
- Resubmitted as A1 immediately, study section cancelled due to shutdown.
- January council now....delayed presumably?
- Paylines gone. PO has zero idea what grants will/won't be funded
- FY26 CR = more chaos
- FY25 R01 scored 10% at DK, dropped in July because of MYF
- Resubmitted as A1 immediately, study section cancelled due to shutdown.
- January council now....delayed presumably?
- Paylines gone. PO has zero idea what grants will/won't be funded
- FY26 CR = more chaos
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
So hard to believe good news these days haha. But it’s not clear if the ICs will still “punish” grants that go beyond that limit. And this may be a prelude to stacking “indirects” in the “directs” category.
December 4, 2025 at 1:37 AM
So hard to believe good news these days haha. But it’s not clear if the ICs will still “punish” grants that go beyond that limit. And this may be a prelude to stacking “indirects” in the “directs” category.
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is seeking input on Federal policy updates to accelerate the American scientific enterprise.
This is your chance to give some feedback on how the past ~10 months have gone for science.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
I plan to highlight:
This is your chance to give some feedback on how the past ~10 months have gone for science.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
I plan to highlight:
Notice of Request for Information; Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requests input from all interested parties on Federal policy updates that aim to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking...
www.federalregister.gov
December 4, 2025 at 1:00 AM
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is seeking input on Federal policy updates to accelerate the American scientific enterprise.
This is your chance to give some feedback on how the past ~10 months have gone for science.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
I plan to highlight:
This is your chance to give some feedback on how the past ~10 months have gone for science.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
I plan to highlight:
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
As usual, the NIH ICs do different things: The Multi-Year Funding Edition drugmonkey.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/a...
As usual, the NIH ICs do different things: The Multi-Year Funding Edition
The other thing that drew my eye in the recent piece in the NYT by Bhatias, Fan, Smith and Hwang was the table which reports the number of grants and the funding amount by Institute and Center. Aga…
drugmonkey.wordpress.com
December 2, 2025 at 10:39 PM
As usual, the NIH ICs do different things: The Multi-Year Funding Edition drugmonkey.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/a...
Just makes me sick to the stomach. Completely unnecessary fuckery from Vought. That's all this is.
The impacts of this will be felt in the years to come, especially assuming MYF continues and peer review is just.......for vibes?
The impacts of this will be felt in the years to come, especially assuming MYF continues and peer review is just.......for vibes?
This is an important and information rich article. I wondered about the effects by Institute. The table below (which is snipped here but is in the article) has that info. Broken down by # of grants and $ amounts.
December 2, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Just makes me sick to the stomach. Completely unnecessary fuckery from Vought. That's all this is.
The impacts of this will be felt in the years to come, especially assuming MYF continues and peer review is just.......for vibes?
The impacts of this will be felt in the years to come, especially assuming MYF continues and peer review is just.......for vibes?
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
Funding cuts continue to affect the medical research we care about. #cancer 🧪
www.npr.org/2025/11/28/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/28/n...
A breast cancer researcher at Harvard loses 1/3 of her staff amid NIH funding cuts
Amid NIH funding delays, clawbacks and uncertainty, a scientist at Harvard who studies breast cancer has lost one third of her lab employees and wonders if she can continue her research experiments.
www.npr.org
December 1, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Funding cuts continue to affect the medical research we care about. #cancer 🧪
www.npr.org/2025/11/28/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/28/n...
"Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and an investigation into possible corruption has been launched"
Note to UK government: We're still waiting for the Grenfell Tower arrests
www.bbc.com/news/live/c2...
Note to UK government: We're still waiting for the Grenfell Tower arrests
www.bbc.com/news/live/c2...
Hong Kong fire kills at least 65, hundreds still missing, but blaze 'under control' - live updates
Hundreds of firefighters have spent hours tackling the blaze, which began in apartment blocks surrounded by mesh netting.
www.bbc.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:06 PM
"Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and an investigation into possible corruption has been launched"
Note to UK government: We're still waiting for the Grenfell Tower arrests
www.bbc.com/news/live/c2...
Note to UK government: We're still waiting for the Grenfell Tower arrests
www.bbc.com/news/live/c2...
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
Yes, the Jan-Feb Council dates will be pushed back until all study sections have met & ICs can create playlists. There are so few Council members left, this shouldn’t be difficult. NCATS, for example, is down to 1 member, unless they are allowed to keep the 2 who should have rotated off on Oct 31.
November 26, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Yes, the Jan-Feb Council dates will be pushed back until all study sections have met & ICs can create playlists. There are so few Council members left, this shouldn’t be difficult. NCATS, for example, is down to 1 member, unless they are allowed to keep the 2 who should have rotated off on Oct 31.
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
I have heard through the grapevine that the January Council will be rescheduled
November 25, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I have heard through the grapevine that the January Council will be rescheduled
Reposted by Metabo_Dave
My grants that did not get reviewed in October due to the shutdown will now be reviewed at the end of January. I think this means they'll miss the January 2026 Council - anyone have any insights into how this will be dealt with? Lumped into May Council? That's going to screw us
November 24, 2025 at 1:41 PM
My grants that did not get reviewed in October due to the shutdown will now be reviewed at the end of January. I think this means they'll miss the January 2026 Council - anyone have any insights into how this will be dealt with? Lumped into May Council? That's going to screw us
NIH FY26 might be worse than FY25.
We have a CR and the NIH still citing the presidents budget request, an unofficial multi year funding mandate, apparently no paylines, IC leadership turnover, continued OMB/Vought interference, more shutdowns likely
This is a recipe for total paralysis.
We have a CR and the NIH still citing the presidents budget request, an unofficial multi year funding mandate, apparently no paylines, IC leadership turnover, continued OMB/Vought interference, more shutdowns likely
This is a recipe for total paralysis.
November 24, 2025 at 1:44 PM
NIH FY26 might be worse than FY25.
We have a CR and the NIH still citing the presidents budget request, an unofficial multi year funding mandate, apparently no paylines, IC leadership turnover, continued OMB/Vought interference, more shutdowns likely
This is a recipe for total paralysis.
We have a CR and the NIH still citing the presidents budget request, an unofficial multi year funding mandate, apparently no paylines, IC leadership turnover, continued OMB/Vought interference, more shutdowns likely
This is a recipe for total paralysis.