27 UNIHTED / NIH Vigils Newsletter 9/6/26

Written By Cara AB

Hi NIH Vigilers and 27 UNIHTED Community,

Happy Labor Day!  In order to give some of our dedicated newsletter producers some time off, this week we are putting out an abbreviated issue.  More highlights from this week and more in-depth coverage of some of the bad and ugly items will appear in next week’s issue (this week we are focusing on good news).  In honor of Labor Day, we hope that everyone will think about what the federal workforce does for all of us every day and remember that our strength and our power comes from the people on the ground doing the work.  We also want to honor the whistleblowers who stand up despite danger to their own position.  In doing so, they remind everyone that we still have rights and the first step to losing them is to fail to claim them.  Finally, we want to highlight that courage is contagious and we are stronger together.  Collective action benefits all of us.  As always, calls to action are listed at the end of the newsletter.  

How is our research ecosystem faring? Here are a few of this week’s highlights. 

Vigil “Auntie” News 

- The Good -

New study describes cardiovascular health impacts of social determinants of health (SDOH)

Despite claims by NIH director Jayanta Bhattacharya, several quantitative measures exist to account for both individual-level and community-level social factors that may impact health.  Analysis is complicated because many of these factors are interrelated.  New analysis combining machine learning models with regression analyses of longitudinal data from the long-running, NIH-funded study of Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) shows that early adult neighborhood conditions can impact midlife risk of subclinical cardiovascular disease.

All in good fun

The community has some laughs at the NIH’s expense, poking fun at the proposed changes to how NIH reports peer review scores. The spoof states that “Under the new system, applications in the top 25th percentile will receive 👍, those between the 26th and 50th percentile will receive 🤷‍♂️, and those below the 50th percentile will receive 😂. The laughing emoji also replaces the previous designation of ‘Not Discussed.’” To comment on the actual proposed changes, you can follow the expert guidance provided by current and former NIH review and program staff. 

Actions speak louder than words

People are noticing a gap between what NIH director Jayanta Bhattacharya says and what he does, especially when it comes to trust in federal scientific leadership. Featuring several members of the 27 UNIHTED community, a recent Inside Higher Ed article points out the discrepancies in rhetoric versus actions regarding gaining trust in science, supporting early stage researchers, valuing peer review, and banning politically charged words. It also highlights his propensity for talk over action. “He’s doing a good job at communicating,” [27 UNIHTED CEO Anna] Culbertson said. “He’s just communicating misinformation.”

- The Bad -

Preview: Several articles this week highlight problems in the U.S. scientific research pipeline, some caused by this administration and others merely exacerbated by it.

  • Trainees increasingly doubt the viability of a research career in the United States.

  • Longstanding concerns about the outdated values and rewards systems perpetuated by the current academic pipeline intensify as funding disappears.

  • Canada is the latest country to recruit top U.S. scientific talent as the domestic situation worsens.

- The Ugly -

Preview: Here are two stories we are watching:

Reflection from the Community

“Rights must be asserted or they are lost. Free speech is a fundamental American right, enshrined by our founders to protect against authoritarianism. Civil servants have this right, when speaking in their personal capacity, as confirmed by a 1968 Supreme Court ruling, Pickering vs Board of Education. Allowing fear to keep us from asserting our rights means giving up those rights.” 

Jenna Norton in Nine lessons from Bethesda Declaration organizers on how to rescue U.S. science

Leadership Watch

Dr. Peter Embí appointed to head NIH’s National Library of Medicine (NLM).  

After almost 3 years, NLM will finally have a permanent director. Dr. Embí is internationally recognized for his leadership in work that spans bioinformatics, health research, and clinical care.  He is well poised to lead NIH in the safe and effective adaptation of AI in health research and healthcare.  According to NIH, he “currently serves as a tenured professor of biomedical informatics and internal medicine and the Endowed Director of Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has also served as chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics, Senior Vice-President for Research and Innovation, and, most recently, founding director of the ADVANCE AI Center.  He is anticipated to begin his role on Sept. 10, 2026.”  We will keep an eye on how Dr. Embí stands up to political pressure that will undoubtedly come from the administration.  Shout out to Dr. Stephen Sherry for his service during his long term as Acting Director of NLM!

Upcoming Events

27 UNIHTED / NIH community events

Community Events

  • Federal Workforce Advocates will hold their next meetup for federal workers and contractors on September 15, 6-7 pm in the Programming room of the C. Burr Artz Library in downtown Frederick.  Come share your thoughts and experiences in a safe, supportive, and confidential space.  

  • Dr. Kristian Andersen presents "On Viral Emergence and the Origins of Pandemics", Tuesday, October 6, 2 pm, Building 40, NIH campus. Those without campus access who wish to attend, contact Lee Eiden for information on registering as a guest.

  • Crow’s Nest Baltimore is showing “22 Federal Workers”: a virtual exhibition of oil portraits by NIHer and artist “Paint Brains” honoring federal workers and their public-service contributions. On display online through October 10. 

Calls To Action

Wondering how to write a public comment for the Federal Register?  Find commenting guidance at Regulations.gov.

*New* Send comments regarding NIAID reorganization

Very little information is available about the proposed changes, but comments can be sent to NIAIDExecutiveServices@mail.nih.gov between September 14 and September 18. For more information on these concerning changes, see this letter to Congress from professional societies.

Send a comment to NIH about removing K99/KT1 eligibility for visa-holders

It was reported that NIH plans to eliminate visa-hold eligibility for pathway to independence awards. Send anonymous or named comments to nihtrain@nih.mail.gov with your ZIP code, and forward them to Congress, your institution, and your societies. The best comments include your personal story about how this would impact your colleagues, science, or patients.

Sign the letter urging USDA Secretary Rollins to stop the reorganization

USDA unions wrote an open letter outlining how the changes to their department will cut services including SNAP, rural infrastructure development, wildfire management, and research supporting agriculture and forestry. Sign as a named or anonymous individual or encourage your organization to sign on.

Submit a comment about proposed changes to NIH grant review reporting

NIH is seeking public input on the proposed change to report application categorization as “most competitive,” “competitive,” and “not discussed” in lieu of final overall impact score.  Comments due by October 13.

Other actions you can take:

  • Submit ideas for future NIH Common Fund priorities. NIH is seeking public input on cross-cutting biomedical and behavioral research challenges.  Direct inquiries to: Common Fund Office, Office of the Director, cf-ideas@mail.nih.gov.  Responses are due by September 19.

  • Comment on NIH’s sweeping new biosafety policy. NIH is seeking public comment on a draft policy that would replace its nearly 50-year-old recombinant-DNA guidelines with a more general one covering laboratory biomedical research involving specified biohazards. Submit comments here by October 19.

  • Sign the Stand Up for Science petition supporting Dr. Fauci. On August 7, 2026, SUFS published a petition to Congress to rescind the contempt referral to the Justice Department immediately.  Currently at 5,500 public signatures.

  • Endorse the Bethesda Declaration - One Year Later.  A year after the release of the original Bethesda Declaration, NIH staff remain concerned.  If you share these concerns, be counted as a supporter of the Bethesda Declaration: One Year Later.  Currently at 480+ signatures.

  • Impeach Vought. Add your name (or anonymous voice) on the petition to urge Congress to impeach Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought.  Learn more at www.impeachvought.com.  Currently at 2,614 signatures. Encourage your Representatives to sign on to House Resolution 1479: Impeaching Russell Thurlow Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

  • Stand with EPA scientists. More than 100 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees were fired for signing a Declaration of Dissent raising concerns about their working environment and recent policy changes.  Sign the petition to support these silenced staff members.  Currently at 580 signatures.

  • Sign on for scientific integrity. The Union of Concerned Scientists has drafted a letter of support for the Scientific Integrity Act, which has been reintroduced to the Senate.  Let our leaders know that evidence-based decision-making is important to you by signing The Momentum for Scientific Integrity Action here.

Reach out to your members of Congress about issues that matter to you.

Some possible topics:

Help the NIH community:  Review a resume, host a job workshop, plan a happy hour, volunteer, and/or advocate with 27 UNIHTED.  Check out the links on our website to take action and volunteer. 

Wellness Weekly

Our somewhat serious community recommendations for self-care are:

  • Touch grass

  • Text a friend just to say “hi”

  • Enjoy an old favorite movie

In solidarity,

27 UNIHTED and NIH Vigils

Cara AB
Next

27 UNIHTED / NIH Vigils Newsletter 8/30/26