Mike Lee
@theleelab.bsky.social
A laboratory of Systems Pharmacology at UMass Medical School. We study cancer therapies, and aim to understand how they activate cell death and how to make this work better.
https://www.umassmed.edu/Lee-Lab
https://www.umassmed.edu/Lee-Lab
Pinned
Mike Lee
@theleelab.bsky.social
· Aug 15
RNA Pol II inhibition activates cell death independently from the loss of transcription
When RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is inhibited, the inhibition is sensed and signaled
to mitochondria, leading to programmed cell death independently of the loss of RNA
Pol II transcription activity...
www.cell.com
I’m excited to highlight our latest paper, just published in Cell 🎉
We report the existence of a previously uncharacterized signaling pathway that is responsible for activating cell death upon loss of gene expression.
1/n 🧪
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
We report the existence of a previously uncharacterized signaling pathway that is responsible for activating cell death upon loss of gene expression.
1/n 🧪
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Life Science Editors wrote a really great "Snippet" about our recent paper describing PDAR. @lifescienceeditors.bsky.social @cp-cell.bsky.social
Why cells die without Pol II www.lifescienceeditors.com/2025/11/15/w...
Why cells die without Pol II www.lifescienceeditors.com/2025/11/15/w...
Why cells die without Pol II - Scientific editing and writing experts - Life Science Editors
Scientific editing and writing experts for manuscripts and grants
www.lifescienceeditors.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Life Science Editors wrote a really great "Snippet" about our recent paper describing PDAR. @lifescienceeditors.bsky.social @cp-cell.bsky.social
Why cells die without Pol II www.lifescienceeditors.com/2025/11/15/w...
Why cells die without Pol II www.lifescienceeditors.com/2025/11/15/w...
Reposted by Mike Lee
The dark truth behind FormatMyPaper.com
Beware giving this site your unpublished data
Users noticed the website had fake testimonials and a domain name registered seemingly overnight.
https://ubadah.substack.com/p/beware-giving-this-site-your-unpublished\
October 24, 2025 at 12:11 AM
The dark truth behind FormatMyPaper.com
Reposted by Mike Lee
RFK Jr. has a less-than-zero understanding of how science works. "Make the proof" should be disturbing for anybody who cares about health, truth, or democracy.
Join our fight to impeach RFK Jr. here 👉 www.standupforscience.net/quack-o-gram...
#impeachrfk #impeachthequack
Join our fight to impeach RFK Jr. here 👉 www.standupforscience.net/quack-o-gram...
#impeachrfk #impeachthequack
October 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
RFK Jr. has a less-than-zero understanding of how science works. "Make the proof" should be disturbing for anybody who cares about health, truth, or democracy.
Join our fight to impeach RFK Jr. here 👉 www.standupforscience.net/quack-o-gram...
#impeachrfk #impeachthequack
Join our fight to impeach RFK Jr. here 👉 www.standupforscience.net/quack-o-gram...
#impeachrfk #impeachthequack
Reposted by Mike Lee
🚨 BREAKING: James Comey posts a video statement following his indictment
"My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump...But I'm not afraid. And I hope you're not either...And I'm innocent. So let's have a trial and keep the faith."
"My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump...But I'm not afraid. And I hope you're not either...And I'm innocent. So let's have a trial and keep the faith."
September 26, 2025 at 12:48 AM
🚨 BREAKING: James Comey posts a video statement following his indictment
"My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump...But I'm not afraid. And I hope you're not either...And I'm innocent. So let's have a trial and keep the faith."
"My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump...But I'm not afraid. And I hope you're not either...And I'm innocent. So let's have a trial and keep the faith."
Reposted by Mike Lee
We used machine-learning tools in an attempt to recreate the method for cutting funding, and then applied it to past US NIH grants to reveal the broad-reaching consequences
go.nature.com/4pBArFH
go.nature.com/4pBArFH
What research might be lost after the NIH’s cuts? Nature trained a bot to find out
We used machine-learning tools in an attempt to recreate the method for cutting funding, and then applied it to past US National Institutes of Health grants to reveal the broad-reaching consequences of such action.
go.nature.com
September 25, 2025 at 10:49 AM
We used machine-learning tools in an attempt to recreate the method for cutting funding, and then applied it to past US NIH grants to reveal the broad-reaching consequences
go.nature.com/4pBArFH
go.nature.com/4pBArFH
Reposted by Mike Lee
NEW: Nature trained AI to predict which NIH grants from 2014 would have been cut if the Trump admin had its way back then — and what science would have been lost to history.
"The results show the damage that cuts in funding can do to research, and the unpredictable nature of the research process."
"The results show the damage that cuts in funding can do to research, and the unpredictable nature of the research process."
We used machine-learning tools in an attempt to recreate the method for cutting funding, and then applied it to past US NIH grants to reveal the broad-reaching consequences
go.nature.com/4pBArFH
go.nature.com/4pBArFH
What research might be lost after the NIH’s cuts? Nature trained a bot to find out
We used machine-learning tools in an attempt to recreate the method for cutting funding, and then applied it to past US National Institutes of Health grants to reveal the broad-reaching consequences of such action.
go.nature.com
September 25, 2025 at 2:49 PM
NEW: Nature trained AI to predict which NIH grants from 2014 would have been cut if the Trump admin had its way back then — and what science would have been lost to history.
"The results show the damage that cuts in funding can do to research, and the unpredictable nature of the research process."
"The results show the damage that cuts in funding can do to research, and the unpredictable nature of the research process."
A nice Q&A with Nick Harper about the discovery of PDAR, and his road to becoming a scientist @umasschan.bsky.social
www.umassmed.edu/dsb/dsb-comm...
www.umassmed.edu/dsb/dsb-comm...
August 22, 2025 at 1:40 PM
A nice Q&A with Nick Harper about the discovery of PDAR, and his road to becoming a scientist @umasschan.bsky.social
www.umassmed.edu/dsb/dsb-comm...
www.umassmed.edu/dsb/dsb-comm...
I’m excited to highlight our latest paper, just published in Cell 🎉
We report the existence of a previously uncharacterized signaling pathway that is responsible for activating cell death upon loss of gene expression.
1/n 🧪
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
We report the existence of a previously uncharacterized signaling pathway that is responsible for activating cell death upon loss of gene expression.
1/n 🧪
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
RNA Pol II inhibition activates cell death independently from the loss of transcription
When RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is inhibited, the inhibition is sensed and signaled
to mitochondria, leading to programmed cell death independently of the loss of RNA
Pol II transcription activity...
www.cell.com
August 15, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I’m excited to highlight our latest paper, just published in Cell 🎉
We report the existence of a previously uncharacterized signaling pathway that is responsible for activating cell death upon loss of gene expression.
1/n 🧪
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
We report the existence of a previously uncharacterized signaling pathway that is responsible for activating cell death upon loss of gene expression.
1/n 🧪
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Mike Lee
For who still thinks this can’t happen here… it’s already happening.
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
Every Scientific Empire Comes to an End
America’s run as the premiere techno-superpower may be over.
www.theatlantic.com
July 31, 2025 at 2:47 PM
For who still thinks this can’t happen here… it’s already happening.
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
Reposted by Mike Lee
"[A] sleeper issue is the proposed 40 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health, in the White House’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year."
Perhaps injecting some economic impact data may help awaken what should not be a sleeper issue... @prospect.org
scienceimpacts.org/fy26
Perhaps injecting some economic impact data may help awaken what should not be a sleeper issue... @prospect.org
scienceimpacts.org/fy26
June 25, 2025 at 3:16 AM
"[A] sleeper issue is the proposed 40 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health, in the White House’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year."
Perhaps injecting some economic impact data may help awaken what should not be a sleeper issue... @prospect.org
scienceimpacts.org/fy26
Perhaps injecting some economic impact data may help awaken what should not be a sleeper issue... @prospect.org
scienceimpacts.org/fy26
Things have been challenging over these last few months, but we also had a lot to celebrate...
Tiana and Mika joining the lab 🎉,
Kelly passing her QE 🎉,
Gavin publishing a paper and submitting another 🎉,
Megan publishing a paper 🎉,
Nick getting excellent reviews 🎉
...so we did a paint nite.
Tiana and Mika joining the lab 🎉,
Kelly passing her QE 🎉,
Gavin publishing a paper and submitting another 🎉,
Megan publishing a paper 🎉,
Nick getting excellent reviews 🎉
...so we did a paint nite.
June 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Things have been challenging over these last few months, but we also had a lot to celebrate...
Tiana and Mika joining the lab 🎉,
Kelly passing her QE 🎉,
Gavin publishing a paper and submitting another 🎉,
Megan publishing a paper 🎉,
Nick getting excellent reviews 🎉
...so we did a paint nite.
Tiana and Mika joining the lab 🎉,
Kelly passing her QE 🎉,
Gavin publishing a paper and submitting another 🎉,
Megan publishing a paper 🎉,
Nick getting excellent reviews 🎉
...so we did a paint nite.
Reposted by Mike Lee
Trump’s new ‘gold standard’ rule will destroy American science as we know it" by Colette Delawalla (@cdelawalla.bsky.social), Victor Ambros, Carl Bergstrom, Carol Greider, Michael Mann and Brian Nosek for @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Trump’s new ‘gold standard’ rule will destroy American science as we know it | Colette Delawalla
The new executive order allows political appointees to undermine research they oppose, paving the way to state-controlled science
www.theguardian.com
May 29, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Trump’s new ‘gold standard’ rule will destroy American science as we know it" by Colette Delawalla (@cdelawalla.bsky.social), Victor Ambros, Carl Bergstrom, Carol Greider, Michael Mann and Brian Nosek for @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Mike Lee
Reposted by Mike Lee
Not that anyone asked, but during my tenure on the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Board, under part of Obama-2 and all of Trump-1, we visited Military Bases domestically & abroad.
At no time did any member of the Armed Forces I met say to me: “America needs less science funding.”
At no time did any member of the Armed Forces I met say to me: “America needs less science funding.”
May 20, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Not that anyone asked, but during my tenure on the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Board, under part of Obama-2 and all of Trump-1, we visited Military Bases domestically & abroad.
At no time did any member of the Armed Forces I met say to me: “America needs less science funding.”
At no time did any member of the Armed Forces I met say to me: “America needs less science funding.”
Reposted by Mike Lee
Grants on antibiotic resistance (and many other things) cancelled "due to unsafe antisemitic actions that suggest the institution lacks concern for the safety and wellbeing of Jewish students."
Every single Jewish org needs to stand up and speak clearly against this weaponization of antisemitism
Every single Jewish org needs to stand up and speak clearly against this weaponization of antisemitism
Yesterday, the NIH R35 “Outstanding Investigator” grant to fund scientists in my lab studying antibiotic resistance was terminated for reasons not related to the content of the science, or any actions taken by me or members of my lab
May 15, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Grants on antibiotic resistance (and many other things) cancelled "due to unsafe antisemitic actions that suggest the institution lacks concern for the safety and wellbeing of Jewish students."
Every single Jewish org needs to stand up and speak clearly against this weaponization of antisemitism
Every single Jewish org needs to stand up and speak clearly against this weaponization of antisemitism
Reposted by Mike Lee
"People should not take medical advice from me" ~ the man directly in charge of medical advice for the United States
If you use your position as the head of HHS to ratfuck a country's vaccination programs and future vaccine development efforts, your opinions on vaccines are very definitely NOT irrelevant.
May 14, 2025 at 11:34 PM
"People should not take medical advice from me" ~ the man directly in charge of medical advice for the United States
Reposted by Mike Lee
Set aside the headline, this is a good primer on the how the federal govt wanted higher Ed to take on a bigger research role, and funded the infrastructure to make that possible via merit-based peer reviewed processes. The research funding is not entitlements and cutting it comes w real costs
April 19, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Set aside the headline, this is a good primer on the how the federal govt wanted higher Ed to take on a bigger research role, and funded the infrastructure to make that possible via merit-based peer reviewed processes. The research funding is not entitlements and cutting it comes w real costs
Reposted by Mike Lee
Yyyyyyeeeeessssssa!!!! We are finally standing up!!!!!!!!!!!!
Northwestern just announced that the university will meet the funding needs of any research that is being impacted by stop orders. LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOO! #edusky #academicsky
wgntv.com/evanston/nor...
wgntv.com/evanston/nor...
Northwestern University to self-fund research despite Trump administration freeze
While university officials said they’ve still not received official word of such action, they acknowledged receiving about 100 stop-work orders from the federal government on roughly 100 fede…
wgntv.com
April 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Yyyyyyeeeeessssssa!!!! We are finally standing up!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reposted by Mike Lee
Reposted by Mike Lee
What we saw today was two jumped up thugs and their bootlicking sychophants laughing at the US Constitution, the supreme court, and the idea that anyone can stop them from doing anything they want www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
The Constitutional Crisis Is Here
The Supreme Court told the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador’s infamous CECOT prison. So far, the administration is pretending to comply while re...
www.theatlantic.com
April 14, 2025 at 7:22 PM
What we saw today was two jumped up thugs and their bootlicking sychophants laughing at the US Constitution, the supreme court, and the idea that anyone can stop them from doing anything they want www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Reposted by Mike Lee
🔥 @ninajankowicz.com: "Mr Taibbi said when he was first searching through the so-called Twitter files he didn't know what he was looking at. Well, he still doesn't. Everything looks like a conspiracy when you don't know how anything works."
April 1, 2025 at 3:08 PM
🔥 @ninajankowicz.com: "Mr Taibbi said when he was first searching through the so-called Twitter files he didn't know what he was looking at. Well, he still doesn't. Everything looks like a conspiracy when you don't know how anything works."
Reposted by Mike Lee
Here, with breakdown by type of F award. These kinds of training grants are essential to support the academic workforce pipeline. These grants are paying the salaries of the ppl who do the work
March 31, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Here, with breakdown by type of F award. These kinds of training grants are essential to support the academic workforce pipeline. These grants are paying the salaries of the ppl who do the work
Reposted by Mike Lee
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/o...
Opinion | Hillary Clinton: This Is Just Dumb (Gift Article)
The Signal group chat is only the latest in a string of self-inflicted wounds by the new administration.
www.nytimes.com
March 28, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/o...
Reposted by Mike Lee
JFC, Fulbright scholar not accused of any crime, no immigration violation, no reason to expect any violence -- just Marco Rubio's whim -- and instead of summoning her first step is no-uniform / no-ID guys in masks and hoodies grabbing her off a public street.
Not sure if this has been shared here yet, but this is video of Rumeysa Ozturk's arrest posted by WCVB. It's terrifying.
March 26, 2025 at 5:42 PM
JFC, Fulbright scholar not accused of any crime, no immigration violation, no reason to expect any violence -- just Marco Rubio's whim -- and instead of summoning her first step is no-uniform / no-ID guys in masks and hoodies grabbing her off a public street.