Bill Wuest
@wmwuest.bsky.social
GRA Distinguished Investigator & Chemistry Professor at Emory. Research leverages natural product total synthesis to combat bacteria/antibiotic resistance. Father, mentor, entrepreneur, Yankee/ND Irish fan. https://wuest.emorychem.science/
New NSF GRFP announcement is out. MAJOR CHANGE: Only senior UG and 1st year grad students appear to be eligible..... Why the change? Anyone know?
September 26, 2025 at 4:46 PM
New NSF GRFP announcement is out. MAJOR CHANGE: Only senior UG and 1st year grad students appear to be eligible..... Why the change? Anyone know?
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Please share with anyone who cares about NSF support for graduate students and take 30 seconds to sign and leave a comment.
The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io
September 25, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Please share with anyone who cares about NSF support for graduate students and take 30 seconds to sign and leave a comment.
The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
Reposted by Bill Wuest
This may be the most important paper ever published about NIH funded research.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
What if NIH had been 40% smaller?
Replaying history with less NIH funding shows widespread impacts on drug-linked research
www.science.org
September 25, 2025 at 9:20 PM
This may be the most important paper ever published about NIH funded research.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Has anyone else received manuscript reviews that were AI-assisted? We got our 1st one. Text raised suspicions & was "verified" by GPTzero as 90% AI. Assuming that our manuscript had to be uploaded to a system to then be reviewed raises copyright and privacy concerns. Are there any repurcussions?
May 6, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Has anyone else received manuscript reviews that were AI-assisted? We got our 1st one. Text raised suspicions & was "verified" by GPTzero as 90% AI. Assuming that our manuscript had to be uploaded to a system to then be reviewed raises copyright and privacy concerns. Are there any repurcussions?
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Sounds like there might be plans to award additional fellowships from the HM list down the road. Perhaps they wanted to get out the UG specific awards ASAP to allow for grad school accepts? Perhaps I am being too optimistic....
NSF GRFP Awards by the Year:
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000
Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......
@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000
Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......
@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social
April 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Sounds like there might be plans to award additional fellowships from the HM list down the road. Perhaps they wanted to get out the UG specific awards ASAP to allow for grad school accepts? Perhaps I am being too optimistic....
NSF GRFP Awards by the Year:
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000
Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......
@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000
Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......
@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social
April 8, 2025 at 9:59 AM
NSF GRFP Awards by the Year:
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000
Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......
@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000
Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......
@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Rodney Taylor is a beloved Georgia barber who came to the United States from Liberia with his mother when he was only two years old. He applied for citizenship but was denied. But this year, ICE arrested him, locked him up, and has scheduled him to be deported to a faraway country he's never known.
Recently engaged, beloved barber arrested by ICE | How his immigration story is questioning the system
Rodney Taylor, a Georgia barber, has been pursuing permanent residency for years. Now, he faces deportation to Liberia despite being in the U.S. since childhood.
www.11alive.com
March 23, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Rodney Taylor is a beloved Georgia barber who came to the United States from Liberia with his mother when he was only two years old. He applied for citizenship but was denied. But this year, ICE arrested him, locked him up, and has scheduled him to be deported to a faraway country he's never known.
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Closing the department of education will clearly be disastrous but what is not as obvious is how it will impact higher ed. Pell grants, federal loans, etc are all distributed through this organization. Without staffing, few, if any loads will be given. Universities are taking it on all fronts.
March 12, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Closing the department of education will clearly be disastrous but what is not as obvious is how it will impact higher ed. Pell grants, federal loans, etc are all distributed through this organization. Without staffing, few, if any loads will be given. Universities are taking it on all fronts.
Reposted by Bill Wuest
If you found the antibiotic work I blogged about today interesting and useful, then gosh, that’s too bad. Because as it stands Elon Musk’s child army is ripping all that stuff to bits.
"This work was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, grants R01-AI168228 (A.G.M.) and R21-AI163466 (Y.S.P.); National Institute of General Medical Sciences, grants R35-GM151957 (Y.S.P.) and R01-GM132302 (Y.S.P.)..."
Clindamycin is an old antibiotic, but it still gets a lot of use. Here's the latest on an extensive synthetic effort to make a better one (no one has gotten one of these all the way through for over fifty years!)
March 11, 2025 at 9:00 PM
If you found the antibiotic work I blogged about today interesting and useful, then gosh, that’s too bad. Because as it stands Elon Musk’s child army is ripping all that stuff to bits.
Closing the department of education will clearly be disastrous but what is not as obvious is how it will impact higher ed. Pell grants, federal loans, etc are all distributed through this organization. Without staffing, few, if any loads will be given. Universities are taking it on all fronts.
March 12, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Closing the department of education will clearly be disastrous but what is not as obvious is how it will impact higher ed. Pell grants, federal loans, etc are all distributed through this organization. Without staffing, few, if any loads will be given. Universities are taking it on all fronts.
Reposted by Bill Wuest
While this is bad, I am more concerned with the 4 ESI MIRA panels that are upcoming in the next two weeks. These panels will review the top junior faculty in the country, which likely result in their first major federal grant. Delaying these reviews will be even more damaging to the future.
🚨 Chemical Biology & Probes study section (formerly SBCB, one of two NIH panels that reviews chemistry #chemsky 🧪) was abruptly POSTPONED w/no specific plans for rescheduling, less than 24h before start.
If this affects you call your reps & senators, talk to local news, make your voice heard 📢 👩🔬
If this affects you call your reps & senators, talk to local news, make your voice heard 📢 👩🔬
February 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
While this is bad, I am more concerned with the 4 ESI MIRA panels that are upcoming in the next two weeks. These panels will review the top junior faculty in the country, which likely result in their first major federal grant. Delaying these reviews will be even more damaging to the future.
Reposted by Bill Wuest
🚨 Chemical Biology & Probes study section (formerly SBCB, one of two NIH panels that reviews chemistry #chemsky 🧪) was abruptly POSTPONED w/no specific plans for rescheduling, less than 24h before start.
If this affects you call your reps & senators, talk to local news, make your voice heard 📢 👩🔬
If this affects you call your reps & senators, talk to local news, make your voice heard 📢 👩🔬
February 19, 2025 at 7:55 PM
🚨 Chemical Biology & Probes study section (formerly SBCB, one of two NIH panels that reviews chemistry #chemsky 🧪) was abruptly POSTPONED w/no specific plans for rescheduling, less than 24h before start.
If this affects you call your reps & senators, talk to local news, make your voice heard 📢 👩🔬
If this affects you call your reps & senators, talk to local news, make your voice heard 📢 👩🔬
Reposted by Bill Wuest
That fact that serious fungal infections are still treated with Amphotericin B (approved in 1958) is solid evidence here.
And if folks think it’s a tough situation with antibacterials, wait until they see what it looks like with antifungals!
February 18, 2025 at 9:58 PM
That fact that serious fungal infections are still treated with Amphotericin B (approved in 1958) is solid evidence here.
Reposted by Bill Wuest
I have opinions about the NIH and the Philadelphia Inquirer published them. Last July I was diagnosed with a progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disease. Writing an equation on the blackboard had become impossible, tying my shoes a challenge. 1/ 3 🧵
A really smart piece from @michellefrancl.bsky.social at the @inquirer.com today! share.inquirer.com/CU62mm
Cutting NIH funding puts my life on the line — and maybe yours as well | Opinion
Private investment in pharmaceutical research can't replace the NIH. Both public investment and the private sector are needed to be world leaders in health care, writes Michelle Francl-Donnay.
share.inquirer.com
February 14, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I have opinions about the NIH and the Philadelphia Inquirer published them. Last July I was diagnosed with a progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disease. Writing an equation on the blackboard had become impossible, tying my shoes a challenge. 1/ 3 🧵
Reposted by Bill Wuest
"Make America Great Again. Make America Healthy Again. These were promises made by candidate Trump in his campaign to be president of the United States of America. What in this campaign platform should have prepared us for a war on discovery?"
Guest column: “The war on discovery” is antithesis of campaign pledge to make America great again - Wisconsin Technology Council
By Jo Handelsman MADISON, Wis. – Make America Great Again. Make America Healthy Again. These were promises made by candidate Trump in his campaign to be president of the United States of America. What...
wisconsintechnologycouncil.com
February 13, 2025 at 7:55 PM
"Make America Great Again. Make America Healthy Again. These were promises made by candidate Trump in his campaign to be president of the United States of America. What in this campaign platform should have prepared us for a war on discovery?"
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Well said @dereklowe.bsky.social. Academia produces two vital products: (1) knowledge, and (2) human capital that knows how to use it. If we can’t train enough young creative US scientists to fulfill biopharma industry needs…
“I think they're being short-sighted, because fear does that to you.”
“I think they're being short-sighted, because fear does that to you.”
Biopharma companies and CEOs are keeping their heads down at their own peril. They should speak up about what’s happening to the NIH and other science agencies before it’s too late.
Silence gives consent. And no one should consent to this.
Silence gives consent. And no one should consent to this.
Stand Up And Be Counted
www.science.org
February 12, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Well said @dereklowe.bsky.social. Academia produces two vital products: (1) knowledge, and (2) human capital that knows how to use it. If we can’t train enough young creative US scientists to fulfill biopharma industry needs…
“I think they're being short-sighted, because fear does that to you.”
“I think they're being short-sighted, because fear does that to you.”
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Finally read popular.info/p/trump-main...
"Between February 3, 2024, and February 10, 2024, the NIH issued 513 grant awards totaling $218,273,053. Between February 3 and February 10 this year, the NIH issued just 11 grant awards totaling $4,981,089."
No wonder I didn't many responses about NoAs...
"Between February 3, 2024, and February 10, 2024, the NIH issued 513 grant awards totaling $218,273,053. Between February 3 and February 10 this year, the NIH issued just 11 grant awards totaling $4,981,089."
No wonder I didn't many responses about NoAs...
Trump maintains funding freeze at NIH, defying court order
The Trump administration is still prohibiting National Institutes of Health (NIH) staff from issuing virtually all grant funding, an NIH official tells Popular Information.
popular.info
February 12, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Finally read popular.info/p/trump-main...
"Between February 3, 2024, and February 10, 2024, the NIH issued 513 grant awards totaling $218,273,053. Between February 3 and February 10 this year, the NIH issued just 11 grant awards totaling $4,981,089."
No wonder I didn't many responses about NoAs...
"Between February 3, 2024, and February 10, 2024, the NIH issued 513 grant awards totaling $218,273,053. Between February 3 and February 10 this year, the NIH issued just 11 grant awards totaling $4,981,089."
No wonder I didn't many responses about NoAs...
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Huge loss for the chemistry community. Absolutely loved my time at UPenn. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Amos’ mentorship and the friends I made in the group
We are deeply saddened to share that our friend and colleague Professor Amos B. Smith III has passed away. Amos joined Penn in 1973 and was a mainstay in our organic chemistry division. He recently celebrated 50 years of service to @upenn.edu @pennsas.bsky.social.
February 3, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Huge loss for the chemistry community. Absolutely loved my time at UPenn. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Amos’ mentorship and the friends I made in the group
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Why should the public care about the freeze on the NIH? Aside from the need for scientific pursuits to make our society better…
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
January 23, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Why should the public care about the freeze on the NIH? Aside from the need for scientific pursuits to make our society better…
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
Reposted by Bill Wuest
I’m scrolling through news a day after the Trump admin shut down coms, travel, and function from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and I don’t see any mainstream media coverage for an impact upon our society & economy that is going to be multiples of 100s of billions and science and health.
January 23, 2025 at 2:48 PM
I’m scrolling through news a day after the Trump admin shut down coms, travel, and function from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and I don’t see any mainstream media coverage for an impact upon our society & economy that is going to be multiples of 100s of billions and science and health.
Reposted by Bill Wuest
Hey, #EconSky! We are uniquely prepared to make the case that scientific research has economic impact. I'd love to get a thread going below with papers you're aware of that show the economic impact of research as a resource for journalists and to support colleagues across disciplines.
January 23, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Hey, #EconSky! We are uniquely prepared to make the case that scientific research has economic impact. I'd love to get a thread going below with papers you're aware of that show the economic impact of research as a resource for journalists and to support colleagues across disciplines.