Defunding Discovery & Education
Some updates on science in the USA with education programs and grants being cut
Hi friends!
It has been a few weeks since I’ve done an NIH post, so I thought it was time for an update. There is a lot going on in all areas right now, so it can be hard for anyone – even me – to keep up. But here’s a quick roundup of a few areas.
Update on Indirect Costs
For background on this, read these prior posts. But for now, this has been paused due to court action and has not been implemented. However, this is unlikely to go away easily, so it is still important to call your representatives and let them know about the value of federal scientific research.
Impact on Student Training in the USA
Science education is an issue near and dear to my heart for many personal and professional reasons. Unfortunately, the policies being considered, or currently implemented, have resulted in programs across the country canceling their summer programs due to funding cancellations or concerns, reducing their graduate programs for the fall, and more.
Students I have talked to have shared with me their deep worry about what their futures may look like (in all fairness, science is not their only concern). However, many are considering whether they should change their major to something else. Others are exploring transferring to overseas programs or applying to international programs for graduate school.
This is deeply concerning. Educating the next generation of scientists is necessary for us to remain competitive in science on the world stage. Our current scientists will eventually retire, so who will pick up their mantle once they leave? This shortage will not just impact academic research institutions. Biotech, healthcare, and other industries also depend on students trained in science programs. This impact will be felt by many.
For example, here in Maine, we are facing a growing workforce shortage and already have challenges recruiting individuals to the state. Despite this, institutions and organizations are working hard to support the life science sector here. It has been working—life science is one of the fastest-growing industries in Maine. But for this to remain true, we must have a STEM workforce.
This is why
and I have launched this survey to try to collect information from students – not just in science, but in general. By understanding their perspectives, we hope to gain insights we can share with all of you.Please consider sharing this survey with faculty and students you know!
NIH Grants Are Being Terminated
The NIH/HHS has been busy sending notices of termination to scientists whose grants were funded, cancelling their grants. Let’s take a look at some examples of the programs they’ve cut. A longer list can be found here. It is not the full list, but it is helpful for us to understand what is happening (update: when I first wrote this it was 6 pages. This list is now up to 42 pages).
First, though, there are some clear themes in the grants canceled so far:
Research that may benefit (or be seen as possibly benefitting) transgender or minority healthcare.
Vaccination research.
Research done at Columbia (more on this here).
Research classified as falling within diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Now Let’s Get Into Some Examples of Canceled Grants.
Grant title: Molecular Mechanisms of Hormone-Mediated Sex Differences in Wound Healing
Project Summary & Goal: For a long time, researchers have noticed differences in wound healing due to hormones. For example, testosterone may impair healing, while estrogen improves it. Why? We don’t know. This project was working to understand the mechanisms behind this difference.
Implications: This work would help us better understand wound healing for all people because we all produce these hormones.
Grant title: The Roles of Genetics, Hormones, and Gender in Sexually Dimorphic Immune Response
Project Summary & Goal: Sex and gender differences involve genetics, hormones, and environmental factors. We also know differences exist in immune response due to these factors. This study was seeking to understand how these factors interact and influence the immune response in chronic infection.
Implications: This work would benefit all humans because there is still so much we do not know about how genetics and hormones influence the immune response.
Grant title: Reproductive Consequences of Steroid Hormone Administration
Project Summary & Goal: To study how taking testosterone impacts reproduction.
Implications: This would be important for transgender individuals receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy. They deserve access to health care and to understand the risk and benefits of medications. But this could also benefit all individuals, as some cisgender females also have high testosterone levels. Ultimately, understanding more about how our hormones function could improve therapies for all humans.
Grant title: The Impact of the Herpes Zoster Vaccine on Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus
Project Summary & Goal: Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is a severe infection where the herpes zoster virus (responsible for chickenpox and then shingles) impacts the eye. It is essentially shingles of the eye. This is incredibly painful and can lead to blindness. Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of developing this later in life. The goal of this study was to understand the benefit of vaccination in preventing this complication.
Implications: This work would help anyone who has had chickenpox and is at risk of developing shingles later in life.
Grant title: Uptake, Safety, and Effectiveness of COVID‐19 Vaccines During Pregnancy
Project Summary & Goal: To collect data on the uptake, safety, and effectiveness of maternal COVID-19 vaccination on both mothers and infants.
Implications: COVID-19 is still present, and COVID-19 vaccines are still available. Collecting this data is important for increasing our knowledge of safety and effectiveness to reassure parents.
Grant title: One Health Education: Connecting Humans, Animals, and the Environment
Correction: Since I initially wrote this it is now more clear from additional termination information that the whole grant was not cancelled. Only the supplemental part of the project focused on SARS-CoV-2 vaccination education.
Project Summary & Goal: To develop educational materials to help students understand how the health of humanity is linked to the health of animals and our environment.
Implications: This work is critical for informing the next generation and equipping them with an understanding of how the health of the environment and animals directly impacts us. For example, climate change is causing ticks to migrate further north, increasing the spread of tick-borne illnesses.
Science Helps Us Discover Things We May Not Even Realize Are Valuable Yet
The issue with canceling these grants, and all of the others, is that it is incredibly shortsighted. Science, at its root, is about exploring the unknown and learning how the world works. Oftentimes, research into something leads to findings that can improve areas we may not have initially considered. This requires that the research is actually able to be done and that we are educating the next generation so we have future scientists to help with these efforts.
CRISPR is a great example of this. It is a tool used for editing the genome that was discovered by studying how bacteria defend themselves against viruses – a study someone might have once dismissed as pointless. Now, we can use CRISPR for many things, including a new FDA-approved treatment for sickle cell anemia. If you’d like to learn more about CRISPR, I wrote this article for kids with some wonderful collaborators, and here is a great video.
So in short, science pays off in many ways (here are some more examples).
What can you do?
Call you representatives (5 calls is a great tool for this).
Consider writing a letter to the editor or an opinion column in your local newspaper about why you value science. Science Homecoming is working on this initiative, especially for scientists, but I think it would be incredibly powerful for anyone who values science to consider doing.
Share about science and its importance with others — in person, or on social media.
From the teacher’s house
Things are a bit stressful and crazy everywhere right now, which is why I especially appreciated seeing something on Instagram supporting the use of “upright and not crying” as a response when people ask how you are. But overall I am grateful to still have a job, a warm house and a loving family
A few other notes:
I was recently interviewed for this piece in Yahoo about getting vaccinated as an adult and this piece in the HuffPost about the flu.
I am currently reading the short story by Alix E. Harrow called The Knight and the Butcherbird. I also just finished listening to an advance listener copy of The Love Haters by Katherine Center and it was wonderful. It comes out May 20th. Overall I have felt lackluster in most of my reading — so let me know what a recent hit was for you in the comments!
I am preparing to go visit my best friend for Easter and I am so excited. We are all counting down the days — I will finally get to meet her new baby!
Photo by Sara Cottle on Unsplash