Jenn Dowd
@drjenndowd.bsky.social
Prof of Demography & Population Health @oxforddemsci.bsky.social | Mortality, Epidemiology, Infections/Immunity, Biosocial science, COVID-19. | Science Communicator 🇺🇸 in 🇬🇧.
Substack: https://jenndowd.substack.com
Substack: https://jenndowd.substack.com
Reposted by Jenn Dowd
I have added a link to this post at the end of my post on #scicomm as firefighting makingsciencepublic.com/2025/08/09/f...
From dissemination to firefighting: The new reality of science communication?
Three things happened recently in my Bluesky timeline which made me think about the fate of science communication. In this post I’ll use these brief glimpses into science communication activities, …
makingsciencepublic.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:32 PM
I have added a link to this post at the end of my post on #scicomm as firefighting makingsciencepublic.com/2025/08/09/f...
Also inspired by recent work with awesome demographers led by @lesja.bsky.social @amandajean.bsky.social @karenguzzo.bsky.social @lauralindberg.bsky.social @alisongemmill.bsky.social @srhayford.bsky.social @shelleydclark.bsky.social
contemporaryfamilies.utah.edu/publications...
contemporaryfamilies.utah.edu/publications...
How Do We Know When Fertility Is Too Low? - Contemporary Families - The University of Utah
Falling birth rates in the U.S. have raised concerns that the current total fertility rate (TFR) has fallen "below replacement" level. In reality, the relationship between current fertility rates and ...
contemporaryfamilies.utah.edu
November 15, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Also inspired by recent work with awesome demographers led by @lesja.bsky.social @amandajean.bsky.social @karenguzzo.bsky.social @lauralindberg.bsky.social @alisongemmill.bsky.social @srhayford.bsky.social @shelleydclark.bsky.social
contemporaryfamilies.utah.edu/publications...
contemporaryfamilies.utah.edu/publications...
8/ If this holds up, the pandemic may have given us an unexpected ally in the fight against cancer. This highlights how scientific breakthroughs in one realm often spill over to other areas in unexpected ways-& why investment in mRNA research is still important. jenndowd.substack.com/p/can-mrna-v...
Can mRNA Vaccines Supercharge Cancer Treatment?
I'm cautiously optimistic about this one...
jenndowd.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
8/ If this holds up, the pandemic may have given us an unexpected ally in the fight against cancer. This highlights how scientific breakthroughs in one realm often spill over to other areas in unexpected ways-& why investment in mRNA research is still important. jenndowd.substack.com/p/can-mrna-v...
7/ The investigators are planning a randomized clinical trial to directly test this finding. This will be important as the ultimate proof of cause and effect, as well as testing important details such as the optimal timing and dosage of mRNA to make the most of the cancer treatment.
a man with a beard is holding a stick and says hope is kindled .
ALT: a man with a beard is holding a stick and says hope is kindled .
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
7/ The investigators are planning a randomized clinical trial to directly test this finding. This will be important as the ultimate proof of cause and effect, as well as testing important details such as the optimal timing and dosage of mRNA to make the most of the cancer treatment.
6/ To me this is a much more convincing study than, say, the recent paper claiming COVID infection can “reactivate” dormant cancers, a study that found interesting results IN MICE but overreached the conclusions they could draw from human data: jenndowd.substack.com/p/covid-and-...
COVID and cancer "reawakening" redux
Don't panic...it really was just IN MICE
jenndowd.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
6/ To me this is a much more convincing study than, say, the recent paper claiming COVID infection can “reactivate” dormant cancers, a study that found interesting results IN MICE but overreached the conclusions they could draw from human data: jenndowd.substack.com/p/covid-and-...
5/ This study did a good job of layering multiple sources of evidence, including observational human data, mechanistic mouse models, human immune profiling, and tumor biology that all point in the same direction: mRNA vaccines appear to amplify the tumor-killing effects of checkpoint inhibitors.
a person is petting a small white mouse with the caption gasps in mouse .
ALT: a person is petting a small white mouse with the caption gasps in mouse .
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
5/ This study did a good job of layering multiple sources of evidence, including observational human data, mechanistic mouse models, human immune profiling, and tumor biology that all point in the same direction: mRNA vaccines appear to amplify the tumor-killing effects of checkpoint inhibitors.
4/ The benefits were also specific to mRNA vaccines. Patients who received a pneumonia or influenza vaccine within 100 days of starting therapy saw no survival benefit. If the findings reflected a “healthy vaccinee” effect, we’d expect similar results with other types of vaccines.
a shirtless man says i 'm so healthy in front of a mountain range
ALT: a shirtless man says i 'm so healthy in front of a mountain range
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
4/ The benefits were also specific to mRNA vaccines. Patients who received a pneumonia or influenza vaccine within 100 days of starting therapy saw no survival benefit. If the findings reflected a “healthy vaccinee” effect, we’d expect similar results with other types of vaccines.
3/ For example the survival benefit of mRNA vaccines wasn't observed in patients receiving chemotherapy. This strengthens the case that mRNA vaccines work through an immune mechanism specific to immunotherapy.
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
3/ For example the survival benefit of mRNA vaccines wasn't observed in patients receiving chemotherapy. This strengthens the case that mRNA vaccines work through an immune mechanism specific to immunotherapy.