Mera L🪬
@mlicc1701.bsky.social
Duke University alumn. Virologist in progress, most recently as research specialist in the Sheahan Lab at CVRG (y'know, at that other blue school). Looking for a new home base thanks to grant terminations🫠 Pop punk millennial. she/they. ✡️•🏳️🌈•🖖
Pinned
Human coronavirus 229E antibodies and Spike structure function paper is finally out for real. Led by @wrapplab.bsky.social (wrappers delight) and @mlicc1701.bsky.social (MFL) #lovevirology #229E #antibodies www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Client Challenge
www.nature.com
It's really real 😭😭😭 Huge thanks to Wrapper's Delight ( @wrapplab.bsky.social ) and T-Pain ( @timothysheahan.bsky.social ) for everything. Working on this together was the best part of 2025!
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Decolonizing global health today (in 2026) is about resisting authoritarianism, imperialism, and fascism, while fighting for democracy, equity & justice
It was the same in the past - nothing has changed
plus ça change!
It was the same in the past - nothing has changed
plus ça change!
January 21, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Decolonizing global health today (in 2026) is about resisting authoritarianism, imperialism, and fascism, while fighting for democracy, equity & justice
It was the same in the past - nothing has changed
plus ça change!
It was the same in the past - nothing has changed
plus ça change!
Reposted by Mera L🪬
The US is leaving some of the world’s oldest and most influential scientific networks involved in biodiversity research, climate science and conservation
go.nature.com/4a48Ney
go.nature.com/4a48Ney
The US is quitting 66 global agencies: what does it mean for science?
The United States is leaving some of the world’s oldest and most influential scientific networks involved in biodiversity research, climate science and conservation. Affected organizations tell Nature that their work continues.
go.nature.com
January 21, 2026 at 11:18 AM
The US is leaving some of the world’s oldest and most influential scientific networks involved in biodiversity research, climate science and conservation
go.nature.com/4a48Ney
go.nature.com/4a48Ney
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Immunoglobulin can also be administered up to 1 week after exposure, as this excellent chart shows. (2/2)
doh.wa.gov/sites/defaul...
doh.wa.gov/sites/defaul...
doh.wa.gov
January 16, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Immunoglobulin can also be administered up to 1 week after exposure, as this excellent chart shows. (2/2)
doh.wa.gov/sites/defaul...
doh.wa.gov/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Given the current situation, it’s really important to know that a person can get the MMR vaccine for up to three days *after* exposure.
This may help reduce the severity of the infection if not ward it off completely, but only for those in whom it’s not contraindicated. (1/2).
This may help reduce the severity of the infection if not ward it off completely, but only for those in whom it’s not contraindicated. (1/2).
January 16, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Given the current situation, it’s really important to know that a person can get the MMR vaccine for up to three days *after* exposure.
This may help reduce the severity of the infection if not ward it off completely, but only for those in whom it’s not contraindicated. (1/2).
This may help reduce the severity of the infection if not ward it off completely, but only for those in whom it’s not contraindicated. (1/2).
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Is it tyranny and fascism, according to Republicans?
Masks to prevent disease ✅
School vaccine requirements ✅
Masks to abduct people 🚫
Forced to show your papers 🚫
Masks to prevent disease ✅
School vaccine requirements ✅
Masks to abduct people 🚫
Forced to show your papers 🚫
January 16, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Is it tyranny and fascism, according to Republicans?
Masks to prevent disease ✅
School vaccine requirements ✅
Masks to abduct people 🚫
Forced to show your papers 🚫
Masks to prevent disease ✅
School vaccine requirements ✅
Masks to abduct people 🚫
Forced to show your papers 🚫
"A country does not lose measles elimination status by having imported cases of the disease. ... Elimination status is lost if, after an introduction, a country is unable to stop ongoing transmission of the virus and circulation continues for a year or longer."
January 21, 2026 at 11:42 AM
"A country does not lose measles elimination status by having imported cases of the disease. ... Elimination status is lost if, after an introduction, a country is unable to stop ongoing transmission of the virus and circulation continues for a year or longer."
Reposted by Mera L🪬
NIH budget bill out today.
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
January 20, 2026 at 6:10 PM
NIH budget bill out today.
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
Reposted by Mera L🪬
They are so brazen, they can't even pretend to deny it.
“The study has been cancelled,” Africa CDC official Yap Boum said on Thursday...HHS pushed back strongly...
“To be clear, the trial will proceed as planned,” the HHS assistant secretary for public affairs told us
futurism.com/health-medic...
“The study has been cancelled,” Africa CDC official Yap Boum said on Thursday...HHS pushed back strongly...
“To be clear, the trial will proceed as planned,” the HHS assistant secretary for public affairs told us
futurism.com/health-medic...
Trump Administration Says It's Not Canceling Tuskegee-Style Medical Study That Will Withhold Hepatitis Vaccine From Newborns
A highly controversial study funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services on infants in West Africa has been halted.
futurism.com
January 17, 2026 at 9:31 PM
They are so brazen, they can't even pretend to deny it.
“The study has been cancelled,” Africa CDC official Yap Boum said on Thursday...HHS pushed back strongly...
“To be clear, the trial will proceed as planned,” the HHS assistant secretary for public affairs told us
futurism.com/health-medic...
“The study has been cancelled,” Africa CDC official Yap Boum said on Thursday...HHS pushed back strongly...
“To be clear, the trial will proceed as planned,” the HHS assistant secretary for public affairs told us
futurism.com/health-medic...
Reposted by Mera L🪬
ICE’s actions tear families apart, intimidate communities, & undermine the conditions that make education, research, healthcare, & public trust possible.
We’re calling on scientists to join the general anti-ICE strike in Minnesota on January 23rd.
We’re calling on scientists to join the general anti-ICE strike in Minnesota on January 23rd.
January 19, 2026 at 10:22 PM
ICE’s actions tear families apart, intimidate communities, & undermine the conditions that make education, research, healthcare, & public trust possible.
We’re calling on scientists to join the general anti-ICE strike in Minnesota on January 23rd.
We’re calling on scientists to join the general anti-ICE strike in Minnesota on January 23rd.
Reposted by Mera L🪬
here's my actual take: about a decade ago, a bunch of people who really didn't enjoy being scientists started popularizing this idea that science is a 9-5 job and you should treat it like any other job, and that respecting it or seeing it as craft or (god forbid) wanting to work extra hard was toxic
January 19, 2026 at 3:17 AM
here's my actual take: about a decade ago, a bunch of people who really didn't enjoy being scientists started popularizing this idea that science is a 9-5 job and you should treat it like any other job, and that respecting it or seeing it as craft or (god forbid) wanting to work extra hard was toxic
Reposted by Mera L🪬
The CDC was truly a marvel – some of the brightest minds in our country, working tirelessly to keep our families & communities safe, so effectively that they were a global resource for recommendations & support in emergencies, all for a couple bucks of our taxes every year.
For some reason, very few people these days will stand up and say it, but: the US federal bureaucracy is one of the great wonders of the world, staffed with incredibly diligent people who do their jobs well and care deeply.
Trump's destruction of the federal apparaus was a historic crime.
Trump's destruction of the federal apparaus was a historic crime.
The Purged
Donald Trump’s destruction of the civil service is a tragedy not just for the roughly 300,000 workers who have been discarded, but for an entire nation.
www.theatlantic.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:27 PM
The CDC was truly a marvel – some of the brightest minds in our country, working tirelessly to keep our families & communities safe, so effectively that they were a global resource for recommendations & support in emergencies, all for a couple bucks of our taxes every year.
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Chiming in here because we’re hiring a Research Technologist - Life Sciences (Advanced Professional) to design, implement, support, analyze, and report on rigorous research in molecular biology of symbiosis. Please consider and/or share with others.
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Staff/jo...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Staff/jo...
Research Technologist - Life Sciences Advance Professional - Bordenstein Lab
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
January 17, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Chiming in here because we’re hiring a Research Technologist - Life Sciences (Advanced Professional) to design, implement, support, analyze, and report on rigorous research in molecular biology of symbiosis. Please consider and/or share with others.
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Staff/jo...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Staff/jo...
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Really important for Science in the US
Spread, and do!
Spread, and do!
Don’t let Russell Vought trick Congress into destroying science by removing multiyear funding limits from the NIH funding bill.
January 18, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Really important for Science in the US
Spread, and do!
Spread, and do!
Reposted by Mera L🪬
There was no planned “intentional infection“ in the horrible, unethical, and thankfully canceled study of the Hep B vaccine in west Africa. It was quite bad enough, but I hope you enjoy the clicks you get off that misinformation post.
When the regime does horrific things you really can just report the reality, you don’t have to make shit up to make it sound worse.
January 17, 2026 at 4:56 PM
There was no planned “intentional infection“ in the horrible, unethical, and thankfully canceled study of the Hep B vaccine in west Africa. It was quite bad enough, but I hope you enjoy the clicks you get off that misinformation post.
Reposted by Mera L🪬
This is the best news I've heard recently.
RFK Jr. can be defeated. He's not invulnerable. Keep up the pressure. Thank goodness African health officials were all over this vile, deadly study and stopped it in its tracks. Something for us to celebrate in our next podcast @joho.bsky.social!
RFK Jr. can be defeated. He's not invulnerable. Keep up the pressure. Thank goodness African health officials were all over this vile, deadly study and stopped it in its tracks. Something for us to celebrate in our next podcast @joho.bsky.social!
Kennedy, obsessed with vaxxed/unvaxxed studies that would not be approved by US ethical review boards, planned to fund one in West Africa — one that would have caused unnecessary disease and death for extremely vulnerable children. After negative media attention, it was canceled. Coverage matters.
BREAKING: The controversial hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau has been *cancelled,* I can now report. A senior official with Africa CDC confirmed the cancellation and said GB officials are working to make sure any research is conducted ethically:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
January 15, 2026 at 4:47 PM
This is the best news I've heard recently.
RFK Jr. can be defeated. He's not invulnerable. Keep up the pressure. Thank goodness African health officials were all over this vile, deadly study and stopped it in its tracks. Something for us to celebrate in our next podcast @joho.bsky.social!
RFK Jr. can be defeated. He's not invulnerable. Keep up the pressure. Thank goodness African health officials were all over this vile, deadly study and stopped it in its tracks. Something for us to celebrate in our next podcast @joho.bsky.social!
Reposted by Mera L🪬
A reminder as Congress finalizes NIH appropriations: the bill must limit multiyear funding (MYF), Vought's way of cutting the NIH budget without cutting the budget. MYF will devastate the research workforce.
@safa-science.bsky.social wrote this in July. Still relevant: substack.com/@scienceandf...
@safa-science.bsky.social wrote this in July. Still relevant: substack.com/@scienceandf...
A Quiet Policy Shift That Could Devastate American Science
Why NIH’s sudden move to multi-year grant funding should alarm every principal investigator and university
substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 4:33 AM
A reminder as Congress finalizes NIH appropriations: the bill must limit multiyear funding (MYF), Vought's way of cutting the NIH budget without cutting the budget. MYF will devastate the research workforce.
@safa-science.bsky.social wrote this in July. Still relevant: substack.com/@scienceandf...
@safa-science.bsky.social wrote this in July. Still relevant: substack.com/@scienceandf...
Reposted by Mera L🪬
The American Society for Virology (ASV) is dedicated to advancing knowledge of viruses and the diseases they cause. ASV does not support the scaling back of the childhood vaccine schedule recently announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. See our statement attached.
January 13, 2026 at 7:54 PM
The American Society for Virology (ASV) is dedicated to advancing knowledge of viruses and the diseases they cause. ASV does not support the scaling back of the childhood vaccine schedule recently announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. See our statement attached.
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Again, odd Bhattacharya - um, better things to do? – so concerned with me.
The grifter "we were censored!" whine = disingenuous political ranting.
Reality: studies (including our own work) shows their narrative DOMINANT in media, on socials, politically
Now? MAGA = censorship machine. The irony.
The grifter "we were censored!" whine = disingenuous political ranting.
Reality: studies (including our own work) shows their narrative DOMINANT in media, on socials, politically
Now? MAGA = censorship machine. The irony.
January 11, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Again, odd Bhattacharya - um, better things to do? – so concerned with me.
The grifter "we were censored!" whine = disingenuous political ranting.
Reality: studies (including our own work) shows their narrative DOMINANT in media, on socials, politically
Now? MAGA = censorship machine. The irony.
The grifter "we were censored!" whine = disingenuous political ranting.
Reality: studies (including our own work) shows their narrative DOMINANT in media, on socials, politically
Now? MAGA = censorship machine. The irony.
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Thanks Jeff for giving me the opportunity to post one of my favorite papers ever from one of my favorite epidemiology professors ever
January 10, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Thanks Jeff for giving me the opportunity to post one of my favorite papers ever from one of my favorite epidemiology professors ever
Reposted by Mera L🪬
This is so incredibly heart-breaking. To Jay Bhattacharya and Matthew Memoli at NIH--you have betrayed the entire scientific community. Deeply committed staff are leaving in droves--because you are destroying the institution. Shame on you. www.statnews.com/2026/01/10/n...
The NIH has lost its scientific integrity. So we left
“We can no longer lend our credibility to an organization that has lost its integrity,” write four scientists and administrators who recently resigned from the NIH.
www.statnews.com
January 10, 2026 at 2:28 PM
This is so incredibly heart-breaking. To Jay Bhattacharya and Matthew Memoli at NIH--you have betrayed the entire scientific community. Deeply committed staff are leaving in droves--because you are destroying the institution. Shame on you. www.statnews.com/2026/01/10/n...
Reposted by Mera L🪬
New #coronavirus #postacute lung pathogenesis paper from my friend Dr. John Powers is up at @asm.org JVI. journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... Confusing as to why this link shows a rotund blue bird. #PASC #SARSCoV2 #Omicron #LoveVirology #JVI #ASM #virology
Mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 infection induces post-acute lung fibrosis in BALB/c mice | Journal of Virology
To best combat the evolving landscape of SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest and variants
of concern, the development of effective small animal models is of critical importance.
Herein, we describe the de...
journals.asm.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:37 PM
New #coronavirus #postacute lung pathogenesis paper from my friend Dr. John Powers is up at @asm.org JVI. journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... Confusing as to why this link shows a rotund blue bird. #PASC #SARSCoV2 #Omicron #LoveVirology #JVI #ASM #virology
It's really real 😭😭😭 Huge thanks to Wrapper's Delight ( @wrapplab.bsky.social ) and T-Pain ( @timothysheahan.bsky.social ) for everything. Working on this together was the best part of 2025!
Human coronavirus 229E antibodies and Spike structure function paper is finally out for real. Led by @wrapplab.bsky.social (wrappers delight) and @mlicc1701.bsky.social (MFL) #lovevirology #229E #antibodies www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Client Challenge
www.nature.com
January 10, 2026 at 2:42 PM
It's really real 😭😭😭 Huge thanks to Wrapper's Delight ( @wrapplab.bsky.social ) and T-Pain ( @timothysheahan.bsky.social ) for everything. Working on this together was the best part of 2025!
Reposted by Mera L🪬
The district court injunction that prevented NIH from capping indirects at 15% was upheld today on appeal!
www.reuters.com/world/trump-...
www.reuters.com/world/trump-...
Trump administration cannot slash NIH research funding, court rules
District Judge Angel Kelley last year blocked the cuts, and on Monday the appeals court agreed.
www.reuters.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:09 AM
The district court injunction that prevented NIH from capping indirects at 15% was upheld today on appeal!
www.reuters.com/world/trump-...
www.reuters.com/world/trump-...
Reposted by Mera L🪬
Another reason for the changes, given by a "senior official" is that we don't have good enough information to accurately quantify vaccine risks. This is a lie. One that HHS head RFK Jr. says often. www.aap.org/en/news-room...
Fact Checked: Childhood Vaccines Are Carefully Studied—Including with Placebos—to Ensure They’re Safe and Effective
Every vaccine recommended for children has undergone extensive research—including clinical trials that often use placebos or comparison groups—to ensure it is safe and effective. Once approved, vaccin...
www.aap.org
January 5, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Another reason for the changes, given by a "senior official" is that we don't have good enough information to accurately quantify vaccine risks. This is a lie. One that HHS head RFK Jr. says often. www.aap.org/en/news-room...
Reposted by Mera L🪬
In <1 year, anti-science policies have unraveled decades of progress.
I’d love to see the “gold standard science” behind decisions made without clinicians, patients, public health or ACIP.
This will lead to suffering & death—the true toll won’t be known for years after those responsible are gone
I’d love to see the “gold standard science” behind decisions made without clinicians, patients, public health or ACIP.
This will lead to suffering & death—the true toll won’t be known for years after those responsible are gone
January 6, 2026 at 1:24 AM
In <1 year, anti-science policies have unraveled decades of progress.
I’d love to see the “gold standard science” behind decisions made without clinicians, patients, public health or ACIP.
This will lead to suffering & death—the true toll won’t be known for years after those responsible are gone
I’d love to see the “gold standard science” behind decisions made without clinicians, patients, public health or ACIP.
This will lead to suffering & death—the true toll won’t be known for years after those responsible are gone