Joshua Weitz
LightNews LightNews
banner
joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz
@joshuasweitz.bsky.social
9.9K followers 2.9K following 2K posts

Professor of Biology & Institute for Health Computing, U of Maryland; explores how viruses impact human and environmental health; 'Asymptomatic' (JHU Press, 10/2024) & 'Quantitative Biosciences' (Princeton U Press, 3/2024) & 'Science Matters' substack. .. more

Videos

Joshua S. Weitz is an American biologist. He is both a professor of biology and the Clark Leadership Chair in Data Analytics at the University of Maryland. Previously, he was a professor at Georgia Tech, where he was the founding director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences. In 2017, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. .. more

Biology 28%
Environmental science 26%
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · Sep 24
New from #SCIMaP - analysis of the White House’s Proposed FY 2026 National Science Foundation Budget.

Take-home: Slashing NSF by >50% will lead to ~$11 billion in economic loss and extensive job loss and reduced training opportunities in communities nationwide.

Report: osf.io/e8rnc

a 🧵
Economic loss from the White House's NSF FY 2026 Proposed Budget

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

publichealthguy1.bsky.social
public health guy 🦃 @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 1d
nirav shah not mincing words re: the new principle deputy director of CDC. good report from @apoorvanyt.bsky.social

🎁 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/h...
Dr. Nirav Shah, who served as the C.D.C!s principal deputy director for two years before resigning this year, called Dr. Abraham "unqualified" for the post and said when he learned that he had been appointed, "My jaw hit the ground." "A large part of the principal deputy's portfolio is emergency response," Dr. Shah said. "Delayed notifying of the public of at least two pertussis deaths is not just unacceptable, it's shameful," he added.

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Nathan P. Kalmoe

apoorvanyt.bsky.social
Apoorva Mandavilli @apoorvanyt.bsky.social · 1d
Dr. Ralph Lee Abraham, who as Louisiana’s surgeon general ordered the state health department to stop promoting vaccinations and who has called Covid vaccines “dangerous,” has been named the second in command at the CDC.
(Gift article)

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/h...
C.D.C. Quietly Appoints Doctor Critical of Vaccines as Second in Command
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Smith, Robert C. Richards , and 1 more

drdebhoury.bsky.social
Deb Houry @drdebhoury.bsky.social · 1d
Appreciate @nationalacademies.org speaking up about the RFK jr directed changes to CDC website and pointing out that the science cited did not include the greater context or full body of research. Where is the “radical transparency”?
National Academies - Statement on CDC’s Updated Vaccine Guidance
National Academies respond to CDC’s updated vaccine guidance, offering scientific context and clarity on vaccine safety.
www.nationalacademies.org

Reposted by Janet Murray

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 1d
No time like the present...

👇
katestarbird.bsky.social Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d
The UW Center for an Informed Public is looking for postdocs (for 2026-2028) from across diverse disciplines whose research sheds light on the challenges of our modern information environment, promotes civic health, and/or helps people/communities navigate online spaces: apply.interfolio.com/177901
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, David Lazer, Brendan Nyhan , and 7 more

katestarbird.bsky.social
Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d
The UW Center for an Informed Public is looking for postdocs (for 2026-2028) from across diverse disciplines whose research sheds light on the challenges of our modern information environment, promotes civic health, and/or helps people/communities navigate online spaces: apply.interfolio.com/177901
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 2d
Long-form piece, 🎁 read via @michaelscherer.bsky.social
michaelscherer.bsky.social Michael Scherer @michaelscherer.bsky.social · 2d
NEW: When RFK Jr. first told Trump that Tylenol might cause autism, the president wanted to tweet out a warning. Kennedy told him not to do that. There was nuance, and the drug companies would push back. “I don’t give a shit about that,” Trump responded. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
The Most Powerful Man in Science
Why is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. so convinced he’s right?
www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Larry W. Hunter

altnih4science.bsky.social
Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 2d
Hearing news that Carl Dieffenbach, the Director of the Division of AIDS at #NIH (NIAID), has been removed from his position because he was "not aligned with HHS/OMB."

Russell Vought continues to remove great scientists as part of the Project 2025 mission to politicize and destroy NIH.

🧪 1/
Carl W. Dieffenbach, Ph.D., Director of the Division of AIDS National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) (.gov) https://www.niaid.nih.gov › about › carl-w-dieffenbach-... Nov 15, 2018 — Carl W. Dieffenbach, Ph.D., serves as Director of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS). Dr. Dieffenbach oversees a global HIV/AIDS research portfolio of more than $1 ...

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Timothy D. McBride

michaelscherer.bsky.social
Michael Scherer @michaelscherer.bsky.social · 2d
NEW: When RFK Jr. first told Trump that Tylenol might cause autism, the president wanted to tweet out a warning. Kennedy told him not to do that. There was nuance, and the drug companies would push back. “I don’t give a shit about that,” Trump responded. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
The Most Powerful Man in Science
Why is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. so convinced he’s right?
www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen, Joshua S. Weitz, Karen Benjamin Guzzo , and 1 more

jeremymberg.bsky.social
Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 2d
This is concerning.

NIH is changing their policy so that staff have to prepare justification for every application that is funded BUT NO DOCUMENTATION FOR APPLICATIONS THAT ARE SKIPPED (BASED ON PERCENTILES).

1/2
An internal document from NIH which states that documentation must be provide for each funded grant but that no documentation need be provided for applications that are not selected for funding including those that are skipped back on overall impact scores.

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 4d
bsky.app/profile/josh...
joshuasweitz.bsky.social Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 4d
Looks like @nytimes.com may be listening to what folks here have been trying to say... a small edit, but important.

Story now updated to read that autism/vaccines change is

"a move that underscores his determination to challenge scientific consensus and bend the health department to his will."

👇
astrokatie.com Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 5d
Calling something "scientific orthodoxy" rather than "established fact" or even "scientific consensus" is so incredibly damaging.

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 4d
bsky.app/profile/josh...
joshuasweitz.bsky.social Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 4d
Looks like @nytimes.com may be listening to what folks here have been trying to say... a small edit, but important.

Story now updated to read that autism/vaccines change is

"a move that underscores his determination to challenge scientific consensus and bend the health department to his will."

👇
astrokatie.com Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 5d
Calling something "scientific orthodoxy" rather than "established fact" or even "scientific consensus" is so incredibly damaging.

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 4d
Updated story, w/free link:

🎁
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
Kennedy Says He Told C.D.C. to Change Website’s Language on Autism and Vaccines
www.nytimes.com

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 4d
Looks like @nytimes.com may be listening to what folks here have been trying to say... a small edit, but important.

Story now updated to read that autism/vaccines change is

"a move that underscores his determination to challenge scientific consensus and bend the health department to his will."

👇
astrokatie.com Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 5d
Calling something "scientific orthodoxy" rather than "established fact" or even "scientific consensus" is so incredibly damaging.

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 5d
RFK Jr is breaking the CDC, as many warned he would & far too many willfully ignored.

This isn't a matter of challenging 'scientific orthodoxy'; it's a matter of evidence. His policies are unmoored from data and will put children & families in harm's way.

🎁
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
Kennedy Says He Told C.D.C. to Change Website’s Language on Autism and Vaccines
www.nytimes.com

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 5d
Increasingly moving science to the footnotes (or eliminating data and evidence entirely) and elevating anti-science, misleading health information, and false claims to the center stage of messaging and practice within HHS & CDC.

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 5d
Meanwhile, explicit calls for firing RFK Jr are likely to increase as it becomes harder for politicians to sit on sidelines as their constituents face the consequences of MAHA ideas as anti-science practice: increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases in children and families.

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 5d
... that have made American higher education, with all its flaws, the envy of the world."

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 5d
From an OpEd Team of Rivals comes resounding agreement:

"Universities must unequivocally reject the proposed compact and the invasive federal oversight it entails. In doing so, they will preserve the innovation, research excellence and fearless pursuit of truth ...

www.usnews.com/opinion/arti...
Colleges Must Reject Trump’s ‘Compact’ To Protect Our Democracy The White House’s proposition violates the very freedoms that make American higher education the envy of the world. By Rick Garnett, Serena Mayeri, Amanda Shanor, Ilya Somin and Alexander VolokhNov. 20, 2025, at 4:18 p.m.

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz

murray.senate.gov
Senator Patty Murray @murray.senate.gov · 5d
RFK Jr. has NO business being health secretary and his conspiracy theories are going to get people killed.

This cannot continue—Republicans should join me in calling for RFK Jr. to be FIRED.
CDC in turmoil after agency backpedals on rejecting vaccines-autism link
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), who voted to confirm Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he pledged not to remove language stating vaccines do not cause autism from the CDC website, condemne...
www.washingtonpost.com

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 5d
Not what one might consider a difficult call to make.

www.politifact.com/factchecks/2...
RFK Jr. said ‘we’re not cutting research.’ That’s wrong
HHS terminated thousands of federal grants this year, impacting clinical trials and research into subjects like messenger RNA and infectious diseases. Some grants were reinstated, but about 2,500 gran...
www.politifact.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Larry W. Hunter

markhisted.org
Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 5d
Lots going on but don’t lose track of the Trump attacks on biomedical research and cancer cures.

@jeremymberg.bsky.social posted a leaked #NIH memo today. I want to highlight a few scary parts.

They’re about taking power from scientists and experts and giving it to the president’s hacks. 1/ 🧪
DRAFT/PRE-DECISIONAL - FOR ICD INPUT, 08.15.25 Achieving NIH's Mission: Leveraging Funding Policies Vision: A consistent and unified NIH-wide approach for funding the most meritorious science, addressing health priorities, and supporting a robust biomedical workforce Purpose: This framework provides a rubric by which ICO funding strategies are to be developed, implemented, and evaluated to achieve NIH's goals. All ICDs, in collaboration with their ICO staff, should review this framework and if needed, adjust respective funding policies and pay plan development processes. Background: All ICOs have funding policies to support the mission of NIH to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. Appropriately, ICOs have their own respective, yet complementary, strategic plans to meet their individual ICO missions. It is crucial that there is coordination across ICO strategic plans and resulting funding policies to collectively leverage NIH's successes for the good of the American public. Core Tenets of ICO Funding Policies: Certain core tenets of funding policies should be consistent to ensure that the NIH mission and health priorities are being achieved. Moving forward, ICO funding policies should: • Align with NIH's and the ICO's stated mission and strategic priorities • Prioritize scientific merit, program relevance and program balance • Incorporate the breadth of the ICO's research portfolio and approaches • Consider investigator career stage and sustainability of the biomedical research workforce • Consider the total amount of NIH funding available to the investigator to promote distribution of funding • Align with the availability of funds from the ICO Note that while the score and critiques an application receives in peer review are important factors in determining the scientific merit of a proposal, ICOs may not rely on funding "…

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 6d
Bad indeed. The question and consequences apply broadly.

prospect.org/2025/11/10/t...
Rule by Deal - The American Prospect
Donald Trump engages in ad hoc agreements with individual companies and governments to expand his power. Some observers have described these actions as a new “economic nationalism”—but that term fails...
prospect.org

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Robert C. Richards, Andrew Watkins , and 1 more

sciam.bsky.social
Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 6d
The agency this week quietly changed its official language to suggest vaccines may cause autism, a claim that scientists say has no basis in evidence
CDC Vaccine Website Promotes Anti-Science Claims of Autism Ties
The agency this week quietly changed its official language to suggest vaccines may cause autism, a claim that scientists say has no basis in evidence
www.scientificamerican.com

Reposted by Janet Murray, Alan Richardson

joshuasweitz.bsky.social
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 6d
The administration is building a legal pathway for ad hoc grant terminations:

"if the agency determines that the award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities"

Converting multiyear grants to 'at whim' coin flips will undermine the stability & leadership of American science.
scott-delaney.bsky.social Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · 7d
Update on a significant development NIH grant terms.

On 10/1, a change to grant making regs went into effect that gives NIH more power to terminate grants for policy reasons.

But to use this power, new grant terms must include specific language. See @aniloza.bsky.social w/ the story from July.

1/
HHS devises legal playbook for future grant terminations, internal memo shows
Exclusive: HHS devises a legal playbook for future research grant terminations, an internal memo shows.
www.statnews.com

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Jon Green, Alan Richardson , and 3 more

gelliottmorris.com
G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 6d
Good morning. I've got a banger new post out today that develops a new method for placing voters on the left-right ideological spectrum, and adds a new, "non-ideological"/affordability axis to usual way we chart & think about US voters (esp swing voters). www.gelliottmorris.com/p/not-just-l...
Not just left vs right: Most voters think about affordability and material wellbeing, not in ideological terms
Most voters want a party that emphasizes cost of living issues and makes the world a better place. Few Americans think in solidly ideologically terms. "Moderates" are mostly non-ideological.
www.gelliottmorris.com