Santosh Vardhana
@santoshvardhana.bsky.social
Researching immunology, metabolism, and cancer, and caring for patients with lymphoma at MSKCC (www.vardhanalab.com). Opinions are my own.
Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | NEJM
In the face of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza’s health system and the catastrophic
famine caused by the devastation, U.S. physicians have an ethical obligation to respond
and support immediate ch...
www.nejm.org
October 3, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
I can understand physicians often being silent when it comes to politics for a variety of reasons. However, this is a moment where we need to be heard stating two things very clearly (1/2):
REPORTER: Should ERs check immigration status before treating a dying patient?
LEAVITT: That's probably not a question for me to answer. That's a question for healthcare professionals and legal experts to answer.
(That's not a no!)
LEAVITT: That's probably not a question for me to answer. That's a question for healthcare professionals and legal experts to answer.
(That's not a no!)
October 2, 2025 at 4:36 PM
I can understand physicians often being silent when it comes to politics for a variety of reasons. However, this is a moment where we need to be heard stating two things very clearly (1/2):
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
ER doc here! This is a lie. Wait times are up because the American healthcare system is an unsustainable business model and a for-profit national healthcare system just doesn’t work. These problems will continue to get worse until we change that system. It literally has nothing to do with immigrants
Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"
October 1, 2025 at 6:49 PM
ER doc here! This is a lie. Wait times are up because the American healthcare system is an unsustainable business model and a for-profit national healthcare system just doesn’t work. These problems will continue to get worse until we change that system. It literally has nothing to do with immigrants
Oh fine, let's walk through the implications of NOT providing emergency health care to all people who walk into a US hospital. Someone shows up in the ER having a heart attack. (1/3)
Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"
October 1, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Oh fine, let's walk through the implications of NOT providing emergency health care to all people who walk into a US hospital. Someone shows up in the ER having a heart attack. (1/3)
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
i don’t think people on bluesky understand the severity of this situation.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
Those on an H1B cannot return to the US from tomorrow (Sunday) unless paying $100K. This is an out-of-the blue presidential action. We’ll see software engineers stranded abroad.
One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.
One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.
September 20, 2025 at 12:20 PM
i don’t think people on bluesky understand the severity of this situation.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.
Worth mentioning that H-1B visa holders keep the majority of rural hospitals in America functioning
September 20, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Worth mentioning that H-1B visa holders keep the majority of rural hospitals in America functioning
I can confirm that this is a very accurate description of what people who are trying to help improve the lives of patients with cancer, including myself, are facing.
September 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I can confirm that this is a very accurate description of what people who are trying to help improve the lives of patients with cancer, including myself, are facing.
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bit.ly/3WUiuo1
Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
The Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers the next generation of basic scientists a program to study the biological sciences through the lens of cancer
bit.ly
September 11, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Now accepting applications for our 2026 Cancer Biology & Cancer Engineering programs. Aspiring scientists & engineers will solve fundamental problems in biology & conduct research & develop technology that will help understand, diagnose, & treat cancer.
bit.ly/3WUiuo1
bit.ly/3WUiuo1
How can this be real? It is - this is a very real post by the current acting director of the CDC - essentially a full confession of scientific illiteracy. God help us.
September 4, 2025 at 11:09 PM
How can this be real? It is - this is a very real post by the current acting director of the CDC - essentially a full confession of scientific illiteracy. God help us.
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
My Friday night hot take is that replication studies are largely a waste of time & $
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
August 16, 2025 at 1:47 AM
My Friday night hot take is that replication studies are largely a waste of time & $
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
If a result is worth following up on, it's better to address from a different angle & see if it holds water. Strong ideas withstand this
Conversely, there R infinite ways a replication can fail that teach you zip
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
Nature: Cancelling mRNA studies is the highest irresponsibility
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
August 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Nature: Cancelling mRNA studies is the highest irresponsibility
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
go.nature.com/3HDx4wD
cc Jay Bhattacharya
Top 10 causes of death in the US: heart disease, cancer, COVID, trauma/overdose, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease/cirrhosis.
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
Advancing NIH’s Mission Through a Unified Strategy
NIH is moving toward a unified strategy that aligns our priorities and funding approaches to fulfill this commitment.
www.nih.gov
August 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Top 10 causes of death in the US: heart disease, cancer, COVID, trauma/overdose, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease/cirrhosis.
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
# of mentions of any of these in the current 'unified strategy': 0.
www.nih.gov/about-nih/ni...
“The symbolism could not be clearer: Scientists, doctors, public health officials, and law enforcement officials — people whose life’s work is to protect the nation — have targets on their backs.” Bravo @celinegounder.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
Opinion | A Dangerous Escalation of the Science Wars
www.nytimes.com
August 11, 2025 at 11:47 PM
“The symbolism could not be clearer: Scientists, doctors, public health officials, and law enforcement officials — people whose life’s work is to protect the nation — have targets on their backs.” Bravo @celinegounder.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/o...
On 8/5, HHS cancelled all federal funding for mRNA vaccine research. On 8/6, @rfk-junior.bsky.social posted, “Doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical giants profit by keeping Americans sick.” On 8/8, a man convinced he was made sick by the COVID vaccine shot up by the CDC.
“...disinformation, conspiracy theories & political violence is getting scarier by the day. I’m very worried about how this is now going beyond defunding of infectious diseases & public health to political violence against the people working in those fields."
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/u...
After Years of Anger Directed at C.D.C., Shooting Manifests Worst Fears
www.nytimes.com
August 11, 2025 at 1:51 AM
On 8/5, HHS cancelled all federal funding for mRNA vaccine research. On 8/6, @rfk-junior.bsky.social posted, “Doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical giants profit by keeping Americans sick.” On 8/8, a man convinced he was made sick by the COVID vaccine shot up by the CDC.
At this point the end of scientific research in the US seems more like an inevitability than a concern. I wish someone could explain to me the benefits that outweigh the catastrophic harms of this series of decisions.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding
The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.
www.wsj.com
July 30, 2025 at 2:32 AM
At this point the end of scientific research in the US seems more like an inevitability than a concern. I wish someone could explain to me the benefits that outweigh the catastrophic harms of this series of decisions.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
Today’s NCI announcement is akin to Thanos snapping his fingers and wiping out half of American scientific workforce. Except that the wiping out part will take much longer to play out.
July 24, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Today’s NCI announcement is akin to Thanos snapping his fingers and wiping out half of American scientific workforce. Except that the wiping out part will take much longer to play out.
I feel so unbelievably sad for all the young careers that will be destroyed by this funding decision and all the potential knowledge lost that could have helped patients. For nothing. It is…. very difficult not to lose any remaining vestiges of optimism.
July 24, 2025 at 12:57 AM
I feel so unbelievably sad for all the young careers that will be destroyed by this funding decision and all the potential knowledge lost that could have helped patients. For nothing. It is…. very difficult not to lose any remaining vestiges of optimism.
Reposted by Santosh Vardhana
In light of today’s news about the National Cancer Institute announcing a 4% payline, it’s really important to communicate to people that the previous 10% payline was still effectively a lottery and the result of decades of underfunding the NIH. Paylines used to be 25%.
July 24, 2025 at 12:15 AM
In light of today’s news about the National Cancer Institute announcing a 4% payline, it’s really important to communicate to people that the previous 10% payline was still effectively a lottery and the result of decades of underfunding the NIH. Paylines used to be 25%.
Unconscionale and unforgivable.
“With these considerations, we expect to fund through the 4th percentile.”
There it is, in black and white, the destruction of cancer research in the US.
There it is, in black and white, the destruction of cancer research in the US.
Funding policy for 2025 from NCI. Was just released: 4 percentile…maybe!
www.cancer.gov/grants-train...
www.cancer.gov/grants-train...
July 23, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Unconscionale and unforgivable.
I would encourage everyone to read this open-access article from @thelancet.com, which analyzes the impact of #USAID funding and estimates that the cut in funding by the Trump administration will lead to FOURTEEN MILLION EXCESS DEATHS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Evaluating the impact of two decades of USAID interventions and projecting the effects of defunding on mortality up to 2030: a retrospective impact evaluation and forecasting analysis
USAID funding has significantly contributed to the reduction in adult and child mortality
across low-income and middle-income countries over the past two decades. Our estimates
show that, unless the a...
www.thelancet.com
July 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I would encourage everyone to read this open-access article from @thelancet.com, which analyzes the impact of #USAID funding and estimates that the cut in funding by the Trump administration will lead to FOURTEEN MILLION EXCESS DEATHS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Judgment based on ethnic heritage is federal policy now, I guess - and quite befitting of those making the policy.
This is very concerning. The US govt has good reasons to be concerned about Chinese espionage, but broad bans not only undermine the rights of Chinese students, but also America's ability to lead in innovation. My past piece on how to effectively address the issue: www.chinafile.com/reporting-op...
May 29, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Judgment based on ethnic heritage is federal policy now, I guess - and quite befitting of those making the policy.
You guys...sometimes its actually awesome to meet your heroes. I met Carolyn after she delivered a riveting and inspiring speech to at the @mskcancercenter.bsky.social graduate school commencement and she absolutely manifests the joy and community that are the reasons that we do science.
More outstanding work from the @santoshvardhana.bsky.social lab, second preprint dropped this week! Take time to read the bluetorial, including brilliant application of #clickchemistry 👏
#Preprint alert! Pioneering work by Tanmana Mitra, a graduate student in @wcm-imp.bsky.social, sheds new insights into why T cells become metabolically exhausted during persistent antigen encounter: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
May 15, 2025 at 12:19 PM
You guys...sometimes its actually awesome to meet your heroes. I met Carolyn after she delivered a riveting and inspiring speech to at the @mskcancercenter.bsky.social graduate school commencement and she absolutely manifests the joy and community that are the reasons that we do science.
#Preprint alert! Pioneering work by Tanmana Mitra, a graduate student in @wcm-imp.bsky.social, sheds new insights into why T cells become metabolically exhausted during persistent antigen encounter: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
MEK-dependent bioenergetic demand drives terminal CD8+ T cell exhaustion
Loss of mitochondrial function contributes to CD8+ T cell dysfunction during persistent antigen encounter. How chronic antigen leads to this metabolic dysfunction remains unclear. Here, we show that T...
www.biorxiv.org
May 14, 2025 at 5:06 PM
#Preprint alert! Pioneering work by Tanmana Mitra, a graduate student in @wcm-imp.bsky.social, sheds new insights into why T cells become metabolically exhausted during persistent antigen encounter: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...