Ray Kennedy
@raykennedy.bsky.social
Interested in politics, economics, global health and science.
Senior Program Officer at Coefficient Giving but on here in a private capacity only.
Senior Program Officer at Coefficient Giving but on here in a private capacity only.
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
🚨New report with @homesfornorth calls on the government to adopt a novel approach to affordable housing investment:
Giving Homes England a ‘National Affordable Housing Bank’ role to invest alongside the private sector in funds set up to deliver discounted rent homes.
A 🧵on why this is needed:
Giving Homes England a ‘National Affordable Housing Bank’ role to invest alongside the private sector in funds set up to deliver discounted rent homes.
A 🧵on why this is needed:
May 23, 2025 at 12:07 PM
🚨New report with @homesfornorth calls on the government to adopt a novel approach to affordable housing investment:
Giving Homes England a ‘National Affordable Housing Bank’ role to invest alongside the private sector in funds set up to deliver discounted rent homes.
A 🧵on why this is needed:
Giving Homes England a ‘National Affordable Housing Bank’ role to invest alongside the private sector in funds set up to deliver discounted rent homes.
A 🧵on why this is needed:
Oof felt good to remember reading some of these classics. Night Watch deservedly recognised - my personal favourite.
Where to start with: Terry Pratchett www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...
Where to start with: Terry Pratchett www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...
Where to start with: Terry Pratchett
Ten years on from his death and just before what would have been his 77th birthday, take a deep dive into the funny, fantasy works of one of the most loved British writers
www.theguardian.com
April 27, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Oof felt good to remember reading some of these classics. Night Watch deservedly recognised - my personal favourite.
Where to start with: Terry Pratchett www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...
Where to start with: Terry Pratchett www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...
Another fascinating generic repurposing potential use case!
The vintage antibiotic streptomycin might be useful in treating metastatic cancer. A surprising result:
Streptomycin For Metastatic Cancer
www.science.org
April 22, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Another fascinating generic repurposing potential use case!
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
GOOD NEWS! Researchers at the University of Buffalo have developed a nanoparticle-based vaccine candidate for H5N1 avian influenza (clade 2.3.4.4b) that achieved 100% PROTECTION in preclinical trials. The vaccine is under development for potential use in BOTH veterinary AND human medicine. 🧪🧵⬇️
April 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
GOOD NEWS! Researchers at the University of Buffalo have developed a nanoparticle-based vaccine candidate for H5N1 avian influenza (clade 2.3.4.4b) that achieved 100% PROTECTION in preclinical trials. The vaccine is under development for potential use in BOTH veterinary AND human medicine. 🧪🧵⬇️
Really lovely story to read and definitely recommend his Substack.
As it's the fourth anniversary of me nearly dying and my life completely changing - here's the post I wrote on the first anniversary. Always feels like I should mark it somehow. (Free to read).
samf.substack.com/p/lessons-fr...
samf.substack.com/p/lessons-fr...
Lessons From a Near Death Experience – a Year On
Apologies for a more personal piece – we’ll be back to the politics and international relations soon (and there is a bit of policy in this one at the end I promise).
samf.substack.com
March 30, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Really lovely story to read and definitely recommend his Substack.
Worrying if true. Brought this quote to mind for me:
"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them."
"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them."
NEW 🧵 Is human intelligence starting to decline?
Recent results from major international tests show that the average person’s capacity to process information, use reasoning and solve novel problems has been falling since around the mid 2010s
What should we make of this?
www.ft.com/content/a801...
Recent results from major international tests show that the average person’s capacity to process information, use reasoning and solve novel problems has been falling since around the mid 2010s
What should we make of this?
www.ft.com/content/a801...
March 15, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Worrying if true. Brought this quote to mind for me:
"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them."
"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them."
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
People born in the late 1960s: one of the measles vaccines in use then generated poor immunity. Check your measles titer – or do what I did today: get a booster shot! @adamratnermd.bsky.social
March 10, 2025 at 8:10 PM
People born in the late 1960s: one of the measles vaccines in use then generated poor immunity. Check your measles titer – or do what I did today: get a booster shot! @adamratnermd.bsky.social
Sounds like sensible pro growth policy. But I think "lab grown" needs a rebrand. Maybe "cruelty free"?
This is great news for human progress.
It's also the government doing what I argued it should do 18 months ago, and turn Britain into a lab meat superpower: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/brexit-bri...
www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/food-sa...
It's also the government doing what I argued it should do 18 months ago, and turn Britain into a lab meat superpower: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/brexit-bri...
www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/food-sa...
Food safety bosses reveal eight companies to ‘fast track’ lab-grown meat
The FSA said teams of scientists and regulatory experts would begin work on the two-year programme to collaborate with the cell-cultivated products industry, academic bodies and trade organisations
www.thegrocer.co.uk
March 10, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Sounds like sensible pro growth policy. But I think "lab grown" needs a rebrand. Maybe "cruelty free"?
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
“For people like myself who have long taken pride in PEPFAR, it’s been painful and horrifying to watch this lifesaving work grind to a halt without a justification or even acknowledgment that it’s happening.”
Killing PEPFAR means killing millions of people
All to save 0.08 percent of the budget.
www.vox.com
March 9, 2025 at 11:51 PM
“For people like myself who have long taken pride in PEPFAR, it’s been painful and horrifying to watch this lifesaving work grind to a halt without a justification or even acknowledgment that it’s happening.”
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
The new GOV.UK login system is the first step in a radical transformation of the British state (FREE TO READ!)
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/login-to-a...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/login-to-a...
The new GOV.UK login system is the first step in a radical transformation of the British state
A British "DOGE" (of sorts) is rearchitecting the government
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
March 5, 2025 at 7:05 AM
The new GOV.UK login system is the first step in a radical transformation of the British state (FREE TO READ!)
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/login-to-a...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/login-to-a...
So excited to see this trial start!
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
IAVI and Biofabri/Zendal Announce First Vaccinations in the IMAGINE Clinical Trial, a Large-scale Safety and Efficacy Trial of the Tuberculosis Vaccine Candidate MTBVAC
www.accessnewswire.com
February 27, 2025 at 10:28 AM
So excited to see this trial start!
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
Powerful defence of basic research (with some fascinating examples)
asteriskmag.com/issues/09/a-...
asteriskmag.com/issues/09/a-...
A Defense of Weird Research—Asterisk
Government-funded scientific research may appear strange or impractical, but it has repeatedly yielded scientific breakthroughs — and continues to pay for itself many times over.
asteriskmag.com
February 21, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Powerful defence of basic research (with some fascinating examples)
asteriskmag.com/issues/09/a-...
asteriskmag.com/issues/09/a-...
Interesting research. I think diabetes also linked with increased likelihood of drug resistant TB...
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝗠𝗥
Staphylococcus aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, as hyperglycemia aids the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants
VISA strains have a large fitness defect in control mice but not in diabetic mice
➡️ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Staphylococcus aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, as hyperglycemia aids the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants
VISA strains have a large fitness defect in control mice but not in diabetic mice
➡️ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Diabetes potentiates the emergence and expansion of antibiotic resistance
Diabetic infections are a reservoir for the emergence and proliferation of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.
www.science.org
February 13, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Interesting research. I think diabetes also linked with increased likelihood of drug resistant TB...
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝗠𝗥
Staphylococcus aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, as hyperglycemia aids the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants
VISA strains have a large fitness defect in control mice but not in diabetic mice
➡️ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Staphylococcus aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, as hyperglycemia aids the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants
VISA strains have a large fitness defect in control mice but not in diabetic mice
➡️ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Diabetes potentiates the emergence and expansion of antibiotic resistance
Diabetic infections are a reservoir for the emergence and proliferation of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.
www.science.org
February 13, 2025 at 5:09 AM
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝗠𝗥
Staphylococcus aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, as hyperglycemia aids the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants
VISA strains have a large fitness defect in control mice but not in diabetic mice
➡️ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Staphylococcus aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, as hyperglycemia aids the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants
VISA strains have a large fitness defect in control mice but not in diabetic mice
➡️ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
Two weeks into President Trump’s sweeping freeze on foreign aid, HIV groups abroad have not received any funding, jeopardizing the health of more than 20 million people, including 500,000 children.
Trump’s Foreign Aid Freeze Leaves Millions Without HIV Treatment
President Trump’s pause on aid, and the gutting of the primary aid agency, could jeopardize the health of more than 20 million people worldwide, including 500,000 children, experts say.
www.nytimes.com
February 5, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Two weeks into President Trump’s sweeping freeze on foreign aid, HIV groups abroad have not received any funding, jeopardizing the health of more than 20 million people, including 500,000 children.
Research funding opportunities for generic repurposing clinical trials ->
www.cureswithinreach.org/programs/fun...
www.cureswithinreach.org/programs/fun...
Funding Opportunities / RFPs - Cures Within Reach
Funding opportunities for clinical trials repurposing research in any unsolved disease.
www.cureswithinreach.org
February 6, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Research funding opportunities for generic repurposing clinical trials ->
www.cureswithinreach.org/programs/fun...
www.cureswithinreach.org/programs/fun...
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
I’m tired of hearing about bats. Do you want to hear a story about jumping spiders and the town that disappeared?
I think I might be breaking this story – do come be the first to read it.
I think I might be breaking this story – do come be the first to read it.
February 1, 2025 at 8:53 AM
I’m tired of hearing about bats. Do you want to hear a story about jumping spiders and the town that disappeared?
I think I might be breaking this story – do come be the first to read it.
I think I might be breaking this story – do come be the first to read it.
Some exciting grants Open Philanthropy made last year.
Particularly excited for the work on human colostrum - such an important topic! www.openphilanthropy.org/research/coo...
Particularly excited for the work on human colostrum - such an important topic! www.openphilanthropy.org/research/coo...
Cool Things Our Global Health & Wellbeing Grantees Accomplished in 2024 | Open Philanthropy
In 2024, grantees in Open Philanthropy’s Global Health and Wellbeing (GHW) portfolio made progress toward developing a next-generation malaria vaccine, successfully advocated for U.K. retailers to ado...
www.openphilanthropy.org
January 30, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Some exciting grants Open Philanthropy made last year.
Particularly excited for the work on human colostrum - such an important topic! www.openphilanthropy.org/research/coo...
Particularly excited for the work on human colostrum - such an important topic! www.openphilanthropy.org/research/coo...
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
If you are a medical professional, community health partner or stakeholder join me Friday 7 February in Heene at 1:30pm to feed into the national consultation to reform the NHS.
If you would like to attend, please fill in the form here docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… Places are limited!
If you would like to attend, please fill in the form here docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… Places are limited!
January 29, 2025 at 2:11 PM
If you are a medical professional, community health partner or stakeholder join me Friday 7 February in Heene at 1:30pm to feed into the national consultation to reform the NHS.
If you would like to attend, please fill in the form here docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… Places are limited!
If you would like to attend, please fill in the form here docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… Places are limited!
Interested in Open Philanthropy?
Here's a blog post about the unusual paths many of us took to get here!
www.openphilanthropy.org/research/pat...
Here's a blog post about the unusual paths many of us took to get here!
www.openphilanthropy.org/research/pat...
Paths to Open Philanthropy: Stories from Our Team | Open Philanthropy
From driving pedicabs in Austin to conducting mathematics research in Sydney to practicing law at traditional firms, Open Philanthropy team members have followed diverse paths to their current roles. ...
www.openphilanthropy.org
January 22, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Interested in Open Philanthropy?
Here's a blog post about the unusual paths many of us took to get here!
www.openphilanthropy.org/research/pat...
Here's a blog post about the unusual paths many of us took to get here!
www.openphilanthropy.org/research/pat...
www.sciencealert.com/scientists-m...
Research on this probably a great investment...
Research on this probably a great investment...
Scientists May Have Discovered a Natural Alternative to Ozempic
Scientists may have identified a way to naturally regulate blood sugar levels and sugar cravings in a similar fashion to drugs like Ozempic.
www.sciencealert.com
January 21, 2025 at 6:14 PM
www.sciencealert.com/scientists-m...
Research on this probably a great investment...
Research on this probably a great investment...
Sad to hear about President Carter. A great man and inspiration who I was fortunate to meet a couple of times. Generous with his time and his life.
December 30, 2024 at 1:13 PM
Sad to hear about President Carter. A great man and inspiration who I was fortunate to meet a couple of times. Generous with his time and his life.
Reposted by Ray Kennedy
Running clinical trials of existing drugs against new indications/diseases can turn up happy results. These drugs are often off-patent, so it's an area where public and philanthropic funding can shine.
Nice profile of Cures Within Reach and @raykennedy.bsky.social's grants:
Nice profile of Cures Within Reach and @raykennedy.bsky.social's grants:
December 22, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Running clinical trials of existing drugs against new indications/diseases can turn up happy results. These drugs are often off-patent, so it's an area where public and philanthropic funding can shine.
Nice profile of Cures Within Reach and @raykennedy.bsky.social's grants:
Nice profile of Cures Within Reach and @raykennedy.bsky.social's grants: