NIH VideoCast videocast.nih.gov

#NIH Council of Councils meeting is scheduled for May 14-15 (some sessions open and closed). Open session will be video casted here: videocast.nih.gov

In August, Jay Bhattacharya said “Training future biomedical scientists” was the 1st priority for his version of NIH.

But talk is cheap. Let’s see how JB’s doing. 🤔

NIH supports trainees mostly via fellowship (F), training (T), and career development (K) awards.

Here are funding curves for each.🧵

For U.S. medical researchers, shrinking labs and bare budgets are the new reality The Trump administration has slashed the number of grants from the National Institutes of Health, with far fewer focused on women, cancer and mental health.

Bhattacharya, Letai & other politicals at NIH keep trying to to say all at NIH is fine, because they spent the full budget last year. This well researched article from @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social explains exactly why many scientists are still struggling. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026...

Christ. It's so bad.

Washington Post article on STEM cuts at federal agencies. NSF tops it at -42%!

“Between January 2025 and February 2026, STEM and health employees at science-focused agencies saw nearly 15,000 jobs cut. The rate outpaced cuts among other federal workers.”

OPM data - Figure from Wash Post article 19 April. (Where US science has been hit hardest.)

NSF at -42%!

The Horrors That Could Lie Ahead if Vaccines Vanish Researchers at Stanford University modeled how many people could die or be disabled in 25 years if vaccines for polio, measles, rubella or diphtheria were no longer available.

These results demonstrate in stark terms how vital shots are and what’s at stake if policy changes interfere with Americans’ ability to vaccinate their kids.

Read our full investigation:

On Friday, Ranking Member @lofgren.house.gov (D-CA) released a Minority Staff Report detailing how #NASA illegally implemented President Trump’s FY2026 budget request without Congressional approval.
democrats-science.house.gov/imo/media/do...

Straight from the horse's mouth:

If Trump's proposed $5B cut to NIH were enacted in FY27, the number of new NIH research grants would drop **47%**

To be clear, this is from a document justifying the request. It's what they *want*. They think this is good.

officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY27/br...

This guy's a real charmer. Wisconsin...really?

Rep Grothman (WI-6) praises Vought for getting rid of USAID and bemoans that he didn't get rid of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit.

I just can't.

@altusaid.altgov.info

. @balint.house.gov asks if Vought is trying to "get revenge against blue states that did not support the President." One of the first words out of Vought's mouth in response is "Biden."
@housebudgetdems.bsky.social

a man in a suit and tie sits in front of a sign that says michael scott on it ALT: a man in a suit and tie sits in front of a sign that says michael scott on it

Oh, hellllll no. Rep Andrew Clyde (Rep, GA-9) just "apologized" for the absolutely necessary criticisms of Vought by @repbonnie.bsky.social of @housebudgetdems.bsky.social at the House Budget Cmte hearing today. Clyde then talking about gun rights and something about God...

Members | The U.S. House Committee on the Budget - House Budget Committee The Official U.S. Congressional website of The Republican Budget Committee

If your representative is on the House Budget Committee, contact them and tell them your story. Tell them how the proposed cuts to science grant making agencies would harm you, your colleagues, your discipline, your institution, society, or your district's economy.
budget.house.gov/about/members

Vought just politicized GAO (the Government Accountability Office) and says that they [he and OMB and POTUS?] have the "moral and legal high ground" over GAO.

Rep Scott Peters (CA-50) "dares" to say that laws have to be followed. "Joe Biden is gone; how do we make things better in 2026," he says.

AHRQ = Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

All the GOP members can do in this hearing is complain about inflation under the Biden Administration. It's all Biden, Biden, Biden...Democrats, Democrats, Democrats...and waste and fraud.

The @housebudgetdems.bsky.social need to be firm and hold Vought to FACTS.

@housedemocrats.bsky.social

an elderly woman wearing pearls and a white headband ALT: an elderly woman wearing pearls and a white headband

Vought says that the 50% cut to NSF "will not affect our investments" in AI... (before being cut off by @doggett.house.gov who is not taking Vought's bs).

Vought then claims we'll be the leading investor in research (both public and private). Despite the cuts in the PBR??

House Committee on the Budget Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Today's House Committee on the Budget hearing with Russ Vought regarding the President's Budget Request for FY27 is infuriating.

budget.house.gov/hearing/the-...

I would give anything for NASA grants data, too... (not asking, just saying). Thank you for everything!

Amazing.

Screen shot of part of an award's event history with sources: 2025-05-26: Award termination date in TAGGS PDF (TAGGS PDF) 2025-05-27: 'TERMINATED' action added (HHS TAGGS) 2025-05-27: End date cut off from 2026-05-31 to 2025-08-31 (USAspending awards) 2025-05-31: Other amendment (USAspending File C) 2025-06-03: Grant marked as terminated (RePORTER website) 2025-06-13: Added to TAGGS PDF of terminations (TAGGS PDF) 2025-06-18: Court-ordered reinstatement (MA v. RFK ) (Court case) 2025-06-18: Court-ordered reinstatement (APHA v. NIH ) (Court case) 2025-06-30: End date extended from 2025-05-31 to 2026-05-31 (USAspending File C) 2025-07-03: Removed from TAGGS PDF of terminations (TAGGS PDF)

We've released a major update to our #NIH tracking at Grant Witness. We now publish a complete, multi-source history of events to track the complex administrative and legal history of each grant.
grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0...

This provides strong support that the COVID mRNA vaccines prevented premature deaths from COVID with no evidence of any increase in premature deaths from other causes.

29M people followed for almost 4 years.

3/3

A line graph showing the percentage of NIH renewal awards as a function of the month that the awards were due. Data for fiscal years 2024 and 2026 are shown. The curve for fiscal year 2026 lies below that for fiscal year 2024.

I have fixed the bug and also added grant renewals due in fiscal year 2024 for comparison.

Two points: (1) NIH is somewhat slower in fiscal year 2026 that they were in fiscal year 2024.

This is partially due to the government shutdown that started this fiscal year.

2/4

Trump officials consider physician, a Fox News regular, for top vaccine post Houman Hemmati is under consideration to lead the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. A final decision has not been made.

Cool...cool...cool

Another person with frequent Fox News appearances and no recognizable vaccine expertise potentially to run FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

[Gift Link]

wapo.st/4vrmuwL

Support for "Make America Healthy Again" is soft, with only 14% of voters identifying with the MAHA movement.

Mahahaha

The #NIH Grants and Funding site is modernizing its digital web presence, serving as the central location for navigating information on NIH’s grants policies, programs, and funding activities.
grants.nih.gov/news-events/...

Name of Information Collection: NASA Front Door NASA, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuin...

OK, this whole "NASA Front Door" thing is weird, amiright? www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...

Has anyone gotten an award (or decline) for a ROSES-2025 proposal?? #NASA #budget #SciPol #RAdmin

Oh, I just realized this is the Sound of Music. #TCMparty #Houseboat

The rickety house boat in the woods would be twice as much. (And all I can think about right now are the Virginia mosquitos!) #TCMparty