Nancy Parmalee
@nparmalee.bsky.social
Human geneticist turned data scientist in Seattle. Supporting clinicians at a large hospital. Human first. Kindness, standing up for people, sailing, climbing mountains, making a ruckus when necessary. Enduring optimist often tested to the limit.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
it’s even more wretched in many parts of the scientific ecosystem
I lose count of the number of highly innovative scientists of all ranks who depend on winning grants like trapeze artists with no safety net to catch them
I lose count of the number of highly innovative scientists of all ranks who depend on winning grants like trapeze artists with no safety net to catch them
When I explain to people what is involved with writing a successful grant, they simply don’t believe me.
I explained it once to a famous person from Pixar, and he looked me square in the eye and said: You mean all the cancer and Alzheimer’s grants work that way? You’ve gotta be &$%#ing kidding me!
I explained it once to a famous person from Pixar, and he looked me square in the eye and said: You mean all the cancer and Alzheimer’s grants work that way? You’ve gotta be &$%#ing kidding me!
I don't think you non-science people realize what it takes to get a grant funded by NIH. Started experiments in Sept 2021 to generate 3 new mouse mutants to model human disease. Prelim dara shows they have relevant disease phenotypes worthy of study. Need a small grant first to characterize /1
January 3, 2026 at 2:04 AM
it’s even more wretched in many parts of the scientific ecosystem
I lose count of the number of highly innovative scientists of all ranks who depend on winning grants like trapeze artists with no safety net to catch them
I lose count of the number of highly innovative scientists of all ranks who depend on winning grants like trapeze artists with no safety net to catch them
Happy new year from Seattle! Up close view of the fireworks from the Space Needle.
January 1, 2026 at 8:10 AM
Happy new year from Seattle! Up close view of the fireworks from the Space Needle.
This year I get to explain how I’m not an academic anymore because funding ran out and no one with NIH grants was hiring. Still, grateful for where I landed.
Merry Explaining How the Academic Job Market Is Going to Non-Academic Family Members Eve to all who celebrate!
December 25, 2025 at 1:28 AM
This year I get to explain how I’m not an academic anymore because funding ran out and no one with NIH grants was hiring. Still, grateful for where I landed.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
In what could plausibly represent a Christmas miracle* SFU Geography has two (2) new tenure track hires. One is urban/climate, which I will repost below. The other is a Landscape Ecologist. Please share ... #academicsky
*actually just the good decisions of our new Dean
www.sfu.ca/geography/ab...
*actually just the good decisions of our new Dean
www.sfu.ca/geography/ab...
Assistant Professor of Landscape Ecology
www.sfu.ca
December 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
In what could plausibly represent a Christmas miracle* SFU Geography has two (2) new tenure track hires. One is urban/climate, which I will repost below. The other is a Landscape Ecologist. Please share ... #academicsky
*actually just the good decisions of our new Dean
www.sfu.ca/geography/ab...
*actually just the good decisions of our new Dean
www.sfu.ca/geography/ab...
My boss told me today that he doesn’t want to hear from me until my vacation is over.
December 25, 2025 at 12:41 AM
My boss told me today that he doesn’t want to hear from me until my vacation is over.
I’m flying to Tehachapi for Christmas with my dad and family. I keep getting Tehacapi and Temecula mixed up in my head. Discovered yesterday that I have been consistently telling people I’m going to Temecula.
Flight is delayed so I may be spending the night in San Francisco.
Flight is delayed so I may be spending the night in San Francisco.
December 25, 2025 at 12:39 AM
I’m flying to Tehachapi for Christmas with my dad and family. I keep getting Tehacapi and Temecula mixed up in my head. Discovered yesterday that I have been consistently telling people I’m going to Temecula.
Flight is delayed so I may be spending the night in San Francisco.
Flight is delayed so I may be spending the night in San Francisco.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
I am looking for a postdoc position + will be attending #SICB2026! My areas of interest/experience: sexual selection, reproduction, host-parasite interactions, animal behavior, (plus bio ed and disability advocacy in bio). I would be happy to chat with anyone attending who is looking for postdocs!
December 23, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I am looking for a postdoc position + will be attending #SICB2026! My areas of interest/experience: sexual selection, reproduction, host-parasite interactions, animal behavior, (plus bio ed and disability advocacy in bio). I would be happy to chat with anyone attending who is looking for postdocs!
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
The day before everyone takes the week off for the holidays:
a man is using a vacuum cleaner on a fire pit
Alt: a man is using a vacuum cleaner on a fire pit
media.tenor.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The day before everyone takes the week off for the holidays:
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
Trump & RFK Jr. are threatening hospitals to stop providing care for trans youth—including in WA state. This is dangerous & wrong.
Families & their doctors know what’s best for them. NOT the federal government. Democrats will fight back.
Families & their doctors know what’s best for them. NOT the federal government. Democrats will fight back.
Federal plan to ban gender care for minors is 'cruel,' state AG says
Pediatricians and legal experts in Washington expressed outrage at Trump administration proposals to effectively ban gender-affirming care for minors.
www.seattletimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Trump & RFK Jr. are threatening hospitals to stop providing care for trans youth—including in WA state. This is dangerous & wrong.
Families & their doctors know what’s best for them. NOT the federal government. Democrats will fight back.
Families & their doctors know what’s best for them. NOT the federal government. Democrats will fight back.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
"Must deliver societal benefits"....the research that found T. aquaticus would never be funded under these rules. Imagine the breakthroughs that won't ever happen because some (seemingly niche) basic science never received funding.
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 18, 2025 at 8:16 PM
"Must deliver societal benefits"....the research that found T. aquaticus would never be funded under these rules. Imagine the breakthroughs that won't ever happen because some (seemingly niche) basic science never received funding.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
If any journalist wants to talk to a trans man with a PhD in Human Genomics who was trained in labs that studied the evolution of sex, I'm right here
Or just keep platforming Republicans who have a 5th grade understanding of biology so they get more trans people killed, sure 🤷🏻♂️
Or just keep platforming Republicans who have a 5th grade understanding of biology so they get more trans people killed, sure 🤷🏻♂️
December 18, 2025 at 5:27 PM
If any journalist wants to talk to a trans man with a PhD in Human Genomics who was trained in labs that studied the evolution of sex, I'm right here
Or just keep platforming Republicans who have a 5th grade understanding of biology so they get more trans people killed, sure 🤷🏻♂️
Or just keep platforming Republicans who have a 5th grade understanding of biology so they get more trans people killed, sure 🤷🏻♂️
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
Today is a good day to donate to The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.
Support Homepage
The Trevor Project is a non-profit suicide prevention organization that provides 24/7 crisis support services, research, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ young people.
www.thetrevorproject.org
December 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Today is a good day to donate to The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.
The most important news of the day is that a week and a half after surgery Delilah kitty’s daughter Josie has finally accepted that Delilah really is her mama and they are having their first post-surgery kitty pile.
December 18, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The most important news of the day is that a week and a half after surgery Delilah kitty’s daughter Josie has finally accepted that Delilah really is her mama and they are having their first post-surgery kitty pile.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
Oh yikes.
1/ At bargaining yesterday, @propublica.org management said that they should have 100% discretion to replace workers with AI and would not commit to labeling future AI-generated content.
December 17, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Oh yikes.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
More than half of researchers now use AI for peer review — often against guidance
A survey of 1,600 academics found that more than 50% have used artificial-intelligence tools while peer reviewing manuscripts.
www.nature.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
The University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public is looking to bring on new postdoctoral scholars to join our research community starting in 2026-2027. Come collaborate w/ our amazing, interdisciplinary team working to understand & help people navigate our complex information ecosystem!
We're currently accepting applications to hire up to two @cip.uw.edu postdoctoral scholars to join our team in Seattle. The priority deadline to apply is January 15, 2026.
For the position description, salary range, qualifications and application process, click here: apply.interfolio.com/177901
For the position description, salary range, qualifications and application process, click here: apply.interfolio.com/177901
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
December 17, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public is looking to bring on new postdoctoral scholars to join our research community starting in 2026-2027. Come collaborate w/ our amazing, interdisciplinary team working to understand & help people navigate our complex information ecosystem!
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
The average person has little idea of the total collapse of CDC leadership, and most won’t read past the headline. They will be left thinking that legitimate scientists support something they most certainly do not.
Ultimately this means that the media will contribute to declining vaccination.
Ultimately this means that the media will contribute to declining vaccination.
December 17, 2025 at 1:52 AM
The average person has little idea of the total collapse of CDC leadership, and most won’t read past the headline. They will be left thinking that legitimate scientists support something they most certainly do not.
Ultimately this means that the media will contribute to declining vaccination.
Ultimately this means that the media will contribute to declining vaccination.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
The media needs to stop writing headlines like “The CDC changes course on vaccines and autism” and “The CDC defends measles response”.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
December 17, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The media needs to stop writing headlines like “The CDC changes course on vaccines and autism” and “The CDC defends measles response”.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
In a highly unusual move, the EPA is revising an assessment of the health dangers posed by formaldehyde, a widespread pollutant that causes far more cancer than any other chemical in the air.
By @fastlerner.bsky.social
By @fastlerner.bsky.social
Under Former Chemical Industry Insiders, Trump EPA Nearly Doubles Amount of Formaldehyde Considered Safe to Inhale
Chemical industry lobbyists have long pushed the government to adopt a less stringent approach to gauging the cancer risk from chemicals, one that would help ease regulations on companies that make or...
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 1:00 AM
In a highly unusual move, the EPA is revising an assessment of the health dangers posed by formaldehyde, a widespread pollutant that causes far more cancer than any other chemical in the air.
By @fastlerner.bsky.social
By @fastlerner.bsky.social
Some days it’s just better not to be online.
December 16, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Some days it’s just better not to be online.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
I would be *furious* if I found out that this happened to one of my manuscripts - which I *didn’t* use AI to write, and which I sent out for review by a human expert, not a stochastic parrot.
More than half of researchers now use AI for peer review — often against guidance
A survey of 1,600 academics found that more than 50% have used artificial-intelligence tools while peer reviewing manuscripts.
www.nature.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I would be *furious* if I found out that this happened to one of my manuscripts - which I *didn’t* use AI to write, and which I sent out for review by a human expert, not a stochastic parrot.
I did the very, very best I could through some incredibly difficult times with external causes. I was battling major depressive disorder and constantly trying to be better for my kids. Did I make mistakes? Absolutely. Have I tried to make amends? At every turn.
December 16, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I did the very, very best I could through some incredibly difficult times with external causes. I was battling major depressive disorder and constantly trying to be better for my kids. Did I make mistakes? Absolutely. Have I tried to make amends? At every turn.
Reposted by Nancy Parmalee
