Tara Kerin, PhD
@tarakerin.bsky.social
Pediatric infectious disease epidemiologist at UCLA. Two rescue mutts own my life now. I also enjoy outdoor pursuits and cell phone towers disguised as trees. Here for the science. All opinions are my own of course, and facts are just... facts. #episky
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
Started/Going. Two infants died of pertussis in Louisiana, where last month the state’s surgeon general banned health department staff from encouraging vaccination.
March 31, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Started/Going. Two infants died of pertussis in Louisiana, where last month the state’s surgeon general banned health department staff from encouraging vaccination.
I wrote a newsletter about my grant being pulled. tarakerin.substack.com/p/i-lost-my-... I'm also very grateful for @britshmit.bsky.social getting these points out to ABC abcnews.go.com/Health/scien...
I lost my job, thanks to DOGE
and I'm in last place in my March Madness Brackets
tarakerin.substack.com
March 23, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I wrote a newsletter about my grant being pulled. tarakerin.substack.com/p/i-lost-my-... I'm also very grateful for @britshmit.bsky.social getting these points out to ABC abcnews.go.com/Health/scien...
@chriswarcraft.bsky.social, have you considered running for office? Any office?
March 11, 2025 at 7:28 PM
@chriswarcraft.bsky.social, have you considered running for office? Any office?
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
Brilliant scientists are getting their grants terminated for committing the sin of studying people other than white, straight men who don’t live with a disability.
These grants were selected for funding via a thorough review done by experts, only to be cut via a hatchet job done by idiots.
These grants were selected for funding via a thorough review done by experts, only to be cut via a hatchet job done by idiots.
March 11, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Brilliant scientists are getting their grants terminated for committing the sin of studying people other than white, straight men who don’t live with a disability.
These grants were selected for funding via a thorough review done by experts, only to be cut via a hatchet job done by idiots.
These grants were selected for funding via a thorough review done by experts, only to be cut via a hatchet job done by idiots.
awesome😡
And so it begins — NIH is planning to terminate active grants that no longer meet the agency's "priorities".
Grants that were already approved for funding through peer review.
The pursuit of knowledge should be apolitical, inclusive, and forward-thinking.
🧪 #PeerReview #DefendResearch
Grants that were already approved for funding through peer review.
The pursuit of knowledge should be apolitical, inclusive, and forward-thinking.
🧪 #PeerReview #DefendResearch
Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants
Studies that touch on LGBT+ health, gender identity and DEI in the biomedical workforce could be terminated, according to documents obtained by Nature.
www.nature.com
March 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
awesome😡
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
The reason I do not fall for scams as an adult is because I was innoculated with a weak strain of scam as a child.
March 6, 2025 at 5:49 PM
The reason I do not fall for scams as an adult is because I was innoculated with a weak strain of scam as a child.
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
Freddie Mercury didn't go into the studio and nail the vocals for "The Show Must Go On" in one take while dying of AIDS for you to despair and give up now. Take the time you need, but then get up and get back out there.
The show must go on.
The show must go on.
February 28, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Freddie Mercury didn't go into the studio and nail the vocals for "The Show Must Go On" in one take while dying of AIDS for you to despair and give up now. Take the time you need, but then get up and get back out there.
The show must go on.
The show must go on.
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
@briannosek.bsky.social reminded me that a very replicable finding is that the pressure to conform is greatly reduced by even a single dissenter. Great to hear the call from @holdenthorp.bsky.social this morning: Come together, right now.
"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw9972
"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw9972
Come together, right now
The chaos, conflicting information, firings, and hurtful rhetoric of the Trump administration’s approach to science over the past month are causing anxiety, grief, and concern for the scientific commu...
www.science.org
February 24, 2025 at 8:12 PM
@briannosek.bsky.social reminded me that a very replicable finding is that the pressure to conform is greatly reduced by even a single dissenter. Great to hear the call from @holdenthorp.bsky.social this morning: Come together, right now.
"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw9972
"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw9972
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
As someone who’s walked past protests *against* CDC at campus a number of times, this makes my heart full. Big protest in *support* of CDC ❤️
More of this please. Your front line workers need it.
More of this please. Your front line workers need it.
February 18, 2025 at 9:41 PM
As someone who’s walked past protests *against* CDC at campus a number of times, this makes my heart full. Big protest in *support* of CDC ❤️
More of this please. Your front line workers need it.
More of this please. Your front line workers need it.
I nominate Chris Kluwe to lead California in the resistance. Thank you for giving us hope!
I appreciate everyone’s messages of support, I’m trying to get through all my mentions but as you can imagine, it’s been a bit of a busy day :)
Remember - peaceful civil disobedience, and no kings, no tyrants. Not ever.
Remember - peaceful civil disobedience, and no kings, no tyrants. Not ever.
February 21, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I nominate Chris Kluwe to lead California in the resistance. Thank you for giving us hope!
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
Dear federal scientists: If you have been affected by the probationary firings and would be willing to speak with Science, please reach out to me by email (klangin@aaas.org) or on Signal. We can guarantee annonymity.
February 14, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Dear federal scientists: If you have been affected by the probationary firings and would be willing to speak with Science, please reach out to me by email (klangin@aaas.org) or on Signal. We can guarantee annonymity.
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
If we’re renaming bodies of water based on petty grievances, I propose that this be renamed the Kendrick Lamar passage.
February 12, 2025 at 10:06 AM
If we’re renaming bodies of water based on petty grievances, I propose that this be renamed the Kendrick Lamar passage.
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
funniest highlights of the philly police scanner, a thread
February 10, 2025 at 3:12 AM
funniest highlights of the philly police scanner, a thread
I love being able to watch the pin mechanics
February 9, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I love being able to watch the pin mechanics
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
February 9, 2025 at 9:54 PM
ya think??? As a former CDC employee, I have lots of thoughts, but it boils down to this-- an absolute travesty in the making.
Staff at the CDC are bracing for a significant reduction in the work force that appears to be targeting staff with the fewest worker protections.
Morale plummets at the CDC as staff fear job losses
Staff at the CDC are bracing for a significant reduction in the work force that appears to be targeting staff with the fewest worker protections.
www.npr.org
February 9, 2025 at 2:51 AM
ya think??? As a former CDC employee, I have lots of thoughts, but it boils down to this-- an absolute travesty in the making.
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
I know the spiteful assholes behind this move see it as a way to punish those pointy-headed professors, but this will hurt their students, their communities and states, and also ordinary Americans who benefit from scientific breakthroughs at these universities in countless ways.
⚠️ Effective Monday 2/10/25, NIH indirect rate capped at 15%. Applies to existing & future grants.
—> Deep budget cuts & program closures coming to a university near you.
Is this the break the glass moment for university administrators who have been silent so far about the attack on science?
—> Deep budget cuts & program closures coming to a university near you.
Is this the break the glass moment for university administrators who have been silent so far about the attack on science?
NOT-OD-25-068: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates NOT-OD-25-068. OD
grants.nih.gov
February 7, 2025 at 11:52 PM
I know the spiteful assholes behind this move see it as a way to punish those pointy-headed professors, but this will hurt their students, their communities and states, and also ordinary Americans who benefit from scientific breakthroughs at these universities in countless ways.
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
This thread explains why this cut is so devastating to universities and university research.
1. Today the NIH director issued a new directive slashing overhead rates to 15%.
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-25-068: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates NOT-OD-25-068. OD
grants.nih.gov
February 8, 2025 at 12:31 AM
This thread explains why this cut is so devastating to universities and university research.
😳
🚨RED ALERT for 🧪:
The Trump NIH just gashed indirect costs. This is a direct attack on universities.
“Pursuant to this Supplemental Guidance, there will be a standard rate of 15% across all NIH grants for indirect costs.” 😮
Just a devastating Friday night news dump. #scicomm #academicaky
The Trump NIH just gashed indirect costs. This is a direct attack on universities.
“Pursuant to this Supplemental Guidance, there will be a standard rate of 15% across all NIH grants for indirect costs.” 😮
Just a devastating Friday night news dump. #scicomm #academicaky
February 8, 2025 at 12:31 AM
😳
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
Lost my CDC contract after a visit from DOGE. I feel like I’m in the dirt (or TBH eating a pint of ice cream on a couch crying). But here’s the thing: Pushing people down—especially those with heart, purpose, and love for public service—doesn’t mean they stay down. It’s literally against their DNA.
February 7, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Lost my CDC contract after a visit from DOGE. I feel like I’m in the dirt (or TBH eating a pint of ice cream on a couch crying). But here’s the thing: Pushing people down—especially those with heart, purpose, and love for public service—doesn’t mean they stay down. It’s literally against their DNA.
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
Another rainy day in LA! Doggos got their little raincoats on for a stroll around echo park lake.
#dogs #dogsofbluesky
#dogs #dogsofbluesky
February 6, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Another rainy day in LA! Doggos got their little raincoats on for a stroll around echo park lake.
#dogs #dogsofbluesky
#dogs #dogsofbluesky
Reposted by Tara Kerin, PhD
SO stoked to be testing out the beta for Flashes! Hope to see some familiar faces soon.
#otherdesertcitiesart
#otherdesertcitiesart
February 5, 2025 at 10:39 PM
SO stoked to be testing out the beta for Flashes! Hope to see some familiar faces soon.
#otherdesertcitiesart
#otherdesertcitiesart