Melissa Kane PhD
@cornymel.bsky.social
www.kanelab.org
Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh
Retroviruses, genetics, immunology, and cell biology
Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh
Retroviruses, genetics, immunology, and cell biology
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
John Fetterman survived a stroke in 2022, which would be considered a pre existing condition.
He has a defibrillator for vfib, which can cost $34,000 to over $51,000.
He was one of 8 Dems who voted to gut the ACA and reopen the government.
He doesn’t have to worry, he has healthcare for life
He has a defibrillator for vfib, which can cost $34,000 to over $51,000.
He was one of 8 Dems who voted to gut the ACA and reopen the government.
He doesn’t have to worry, he has healthcare for life
November 15, 2025 at 4:54 AM
John Fetterman survived a stroke in 2022, which would be considered a pre existing condition.
He has a defibrillator for vfib, which can cost $34,000 to over $51,000.
He was one of 8 Dems who voted to gut the ACA and reopen the government.
He doesn’t have to worry, he has healthcare for life
He has a defibrillator for vfib, which can cost $34,000 to over $51,000.
He was one of 8 Dems who voted to gut the ACA and reopen the government.
He doesn’t have to worry, he has healthcare for life
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
Yet another mechanism to hurt scientific research progress in the U.S.
The eds-and-meds economy that reshaped Pittsburgh after the collapse of steelmaking relies on skilled H-1B visa holders.
The administration’s disruption of these visas pose challenges for Pitt, the area’s largest employer of H-1B workers, and many others
www.publicsource.org/h1b-visa-app...
The administration’s disruption of these visas pose challenges for Pitt, the area’s largest employer of H-1B workers, and many others
www.publicsource.org/h1b-visa-app...
Trump change in visa fee could curb hiring by Pitt, BNY, UPMC and others
A new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications may deter hires of international talent, and could discourage skilled foreign workers from staying here.
www.publicsource.org
November 12, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Yet another mechanism to hurt scientific research progress in the U.S.
Cool cool cool. It’s not too late to do the right thing, bruv.
In an emotional excerpt from his new book, Sen. John Fetterman said he should have dropped out of his 2022 senatorial race while severely battling depression after his stroke.
John Fetterman said he ‘should have quit’ Senate bid in an excerpt from his new book
John Fetterman gave an emotional look into his struggle with depression in an excerpt of his new book Unfettered.
www.inquirer.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Cool cool cool. It’s not too late to do the right thing, bruv.
I am furious. I am furious on behalf of everyone who genuinely suffered due to the shutdown and everyone else who will suffer because they f*cking caved for NOTHING.
In response to this claim that the "strategy didn't work."
The people were on our side. We were building momentum to help save our democracy. We could have won - the premium increase notices were just starting.
And giving in now will embolden him. Things will likely get worse.
The people were on our side. We were building momentum to help save our democracy. We could have won - the premium increase notices were just starting.
And giving in now will embolden him. Things will likely get worse.
November 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I am furious. I am furious on behalf of everyone who genuinely suffered due to the shutdown and everyone else who will suffer because they f*cking caved for NOTHING.
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
Applications are open for the NIH-sponsored undergraduate Research Opportunities HIV RNA (ROHR) program for Summer 2026. Successful applicants will get to carry out a research project at a major university and attend a conference at the NIH. Please spread the word!
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
November 10, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Applications are open for the NIH-sponsored undergraduate Research Opportunities HIV RNA (ROHR) program for Summer 2026. Successful applicants will get to carry out a research project at a major university and attend a conference at the NIH. Please spread the word!
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
"By doing things voters wanted, he set unrealistic expectations. Soon, voters will expect ALL politicians to represent their interests. Then where will we be?"
Yeah, He Won, but He Was Up Against a Deeply Flawed Candidate
“I’m skeptical. The odds are that Mamdani’s victory is actually less significant than you think.” — Ross Douthat, New York Times - - -I was as surp...
buff.ly
November 7, 2025 at 2:40 AM
"By doing things voters wanted, he set unrealistic expectations. Soon, voters will expect ALL politicians to represent their interests. Then where will we be?"
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
Great article from @virginiagewin.bsky.social showing that across the Federal science ecosystem, research that benefits the American public is being delayed or completely halted, and remaining programs are being consolidated under close partisan political control. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Dismantling of US federal agencies will ‘destroy science’
From NASA to the National Institutes of Health, federal agencies conduct research that universities cannot. Agency scientists speak out about the irreplaceable facilities, institutional knowledge and ...
www.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Great article from @virginiagewin.bsky.social showing that across the Federal science ecosystem, research that benefits the American public is being delayed or completely halted, and remaining programs are being consolidated under close partisan political control. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
Very important not to become accustomed to the fact the US is literally in the "masked men are rounding up your neighbors" phase
October 29, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Very important not to become accustomed to the fact the US is literally in the "masked men are rounding up your neighbors" phase
Everything is terrible
What we're witnessing with #Melissa is ultra rare in the history of known hurricanes in the Atlantic. This level of sustained intensity and feasting on every joule of ocean heat content without any real disruption is incredible.
Not hyperbole: Jamaica is facing a generational catastrophic event.
Not hyperbole: Jamaica is facing a generational catastrophic event.
October 28, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Everything is terrible
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
One of Trump's most successful cons is that he is a patriot. The bitter truth is that Trump is an antipatriot. He destroys things that make America worthy of love and admiration. www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-mar-...
Trump’s Mar-a-White House
The president is desecrating a symbol of liberal democracy and replacing it with a tacky, bloated eyesore.
www.thebulwark.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
One of Trump's most successful cons is that he is a patriot. The bitter truth is that Trump is an antipatriot. He destroys things that make America worthy of love and admiration. www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-mar-...
Ughhh. This year has already been so terrible for everyone at the NIH and everyone who participates in/relies on these reviews…But at least the House is in recess, otherwise we’d have to talk healthcare costs and hold an almost meaningless vote on the Epstein files 🙄
For those who are wondering about grant proposal reviews in the USA
October 22, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Ughhh. This year has already been so terrible for everyone at the NIH and everyone who participates in/relies on these reviews…But at least the House is in recess, otherwise we’d have to talk healthcare costs and hold an almost meaningless vote on the Epstein files 🙄
It may seem silly in light of all the terrible, but that is NOT his house and we should all be pretty pissed about this destruction and what it represents.
We’ve received a lot of questions about Trump’s demolition of the White House East Wing.
Here’s how the process is supposed to work:
Here’s how the process is supposed to work:
October 21, 2025 at 5:47 PM
It may seem silly in light of all the terrible, but that is NOT his house and we should all be pretty pissed about this destruction and what it represents.
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
👏 👏
MIT rejects Compact
"The premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone...America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking....Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach"
"The premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone...America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking....Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach"
Regarding the Compact | MIT Organization Chart
Dear members of the MIT community,
orgchart.mit.edu
October 10, 2025 at 3:25 PM
👏 👏
This is a huge problem in Pittsburgh, I am always a bit nervous crossing streets because drivers simply don’t look for pedestrians
Third hit and run this morning on a pedestrian. Plus a bonus of someone slammed into the EMS Rescue 2 truck about an hour ago. Be safe.
October 10, 2025 at 3:23 PM
This is a huge problem in Pittsburgh, I am always a bit nervous crossing streets because drivers simply don’t look for pedestrians
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
TEN DAYS to #NoKings Day!!!!
Repost if you’re attending!
Comment with what city you’ll be in.
Sign up here: seiu.co/NoCrowns
Repost if you’re attending!
Comment with what city you’ll be in.
Sign up here: seiu.co/NoCrowns
October 7, 2025 at 3:21 PM
TEN DAYS to #NoKings Day!!!!
Repost if you’re attending!
Comment with what city you’ll be in.
Sign up here: seiu.co/NoCrowns
Repost if you’re attending!
Comment with what city you’ll be in.
Sign up here: seiu.co/NoCrowns
Heroes
Staff members at the NIH seem to have done the impossible: spend the agency's $48 billion budget.
“Everyone has been rallying together to clean up the mess, but it’s a mess that did not need to be made,” an NIH program officer told me.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
“Everyone has been rallying together to clean up the mess, but it’s a mess that did not need to be made,” an NIH program officer told me.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
NIH races to spend its 2025 grant money — but fewer projects win funding
Despite political obstacles, officials are on track to disburse all of the research funds allocated to US biomedical behemoth.
www.nature.com
September 30, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Heroes
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
This miracle happened because civil servants are among the most dedicated, passionate and hardworking people…
IN SPITE OF the Trump administration.
Even with all that work, multiyear funding policies mean a lot of excellent science went unfunded.
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
IN SPITE OF the Trump administration.
Even with all that work, multiyear funding policies mean a lot of excellent science went unfunded.
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
NIH pulled off a ‘near miracle.’ Scientists say there’s still a problem.
The National Institutes of Health is on track to give away all of its grant money to labs, but research on cancer, aging and diabetes is still being left behind.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 26, 2025 at 11:09 PM
This miracle happened because civil servants are among the most dedicated, passionate and hardworking people…
IN SPITE OF the Trump administration.
Even with all that work, multiyear funding policies mean a lot of excellent science went unfunded.
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
IN SPITE OF the Trump administration.
Even with all that work, multiyear funding policies mean a lot of excellent science went unfunded.
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
We had a wonderful time at the @pitt-immunology.bsky.social retreat this week! Lia presented a poster (hanging is one of three posters printed thanks to shipping struggles) and got great feedback/ideas from the session. We’re so grateful to be included in this community at Pitt!
September 26, 2025 at 10:47 PM
We had a wonderful time at the @pitt-immunology.bsky.social retreat this week! Lia presented a poster (hanging is one of three posters printed thanks to shipping struggles) and got great feedback/ideas from the session. We’re so grateful to be included in this community at Pitt!
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
George Orwell on Hitler
September 25, 2025 at 5:57 PM
George Orwell on Hitler
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
“Antiscience has gone beyond U.S. borders to Europe, Australia, and Africa. Defeating it will require unprecedented commitment and international cooperation, not only between scientific organizations, but also their host governments.”
🧪 #Disinformation #AntiScience
time.com/7317436/scie...
🧪 #Disinformation #AntiScience
time.com/7317436/scie...
Antiscience Is an Existential Threat
The ideologically-motivated assault on science threatens us all.
time.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:01 AM
“Antiscience has gone beyond U.S. borders to Europe, Australia, and Africa. Defeating it will require unprecedented commitment and international cooperation, not only between scientific organizations, but also their host governments.”
🧪 #Disinformation #AntiScience
time.com/7317436/scie...
🧪 #Disinformation #AntiScience
time.com/7317436/scie...
There’s plenty of bad news today, but this should be on everyone’s radar. This is going to have a TON of negative consequences.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
$10 Million in Contraceptives Have Been Destroyed on Orders From Trump Officials
www.nytimes.com
September 12, 2025 at 3:54 AM
There’s plenty of bad news today, but this should be on everyone’s radar. This is going to have a TON of negative consequences.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
Horrible. I feel awful for the postdoc who was manipulated by this person, I hope she hasn’t left science as a result of this
September 9, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Horrible. I feel awful for the postdoc who was manipulated by this person, I hope she hasn’t left science as a result of this
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
"It is my view and the view of this administration that parents should be free to decide whether they want their children oppressively strapped into a two-ton vehicle or liberated head-first through the windshield."
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the...
The Head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Explains Why It’s No Longer Recommending the Use of Seat Belts
“In the seven months since he was sworn in, Mr. Kennedy has delivered a lukewarm endorsement of the measles vaccine; dismantled a panel of experts ...
www.mcsweeneys.net
September 8, 2025 at 6:27 PM
"It is my view and the view of this administration that parents should be free to decide whether they want their children oppressively strapped into a two-ton vehicle or liberated head-first through the windshield."
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the...
Reposted by Melissa Kane PhD
Since everyone’s finding old and new friends, take a moment to read my story, I’m a 32yo polio survivor because I was not vaccinated. Pass on my story, repeat it, tell it to any vaccine hesitate parent. No kid deserves vaccine preventable diseases
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...
I’m a Polio Survivor. I Don’t Want You to Get It.
Polio is once again a public health threat in the United States. Grace is disappointed, though not surprised.
www.voicesforvaccines.org
November 10, 2024 at 10:02 PM
Since everyone’s finding old and new friends, take a moment to read my story, I’m a 32yo polio survivor because I was not vaccinated. Pass on my story, repeat it, tell it to any vaccine hesitate parent. No kid deserves vaccine preventable diseases
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...