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2/20/26: With federal research funding uncertain, states debate new science initiatives (STAT) Shifting NIH policies are driving universities to look elsewhere for support. https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/20/states-fill-nih-funding-gap-trump-cuts/
2/20/26: Journal giant Elsevier unveiled an AI tool that scans millions of paywalled papers. Is it worth it? (Science) Artificial intelligence (AI) tools for scouring scientific literature have proliferated in recent years, promising researchers a better way to summarize findings and generate hypotheses. Now, Elsevier, the largest publisher of scientific articles, has entered the fray with its own AI tool—and, in a first-of-its-kind pact, has teamed up with four other publishing groups to make the full text of millions of paywalled journal articles available for its algorithm to analyze.https://www.science.org/content/article/journal-giant-elsevier-unveiled-ai-tool-scans-millions-paywalled-papers-it-worth-it
2/20/26: Trump administration drops appeal over its $1.2B demand from UC system (Higher Ed Dive) The federal government agreed to no longer challenge an injunction that blocked its mass grant cancellations and hefty payment demand. https://www.highereddive.com/news/trump-administration-drops-appeal-uc-ucla-antisemitism-investigation/812633/
2/19/26: High Risk Research : HHS Should Publicly Share More Information on How Risk Is Assessed and Mitigated (GAO-26-107348) Research that alters pathogens to better study diseases, especially those with pandemic potential, is considered risky. If mishandled by accident or on purpose, altered pathogens may cause harm. The Department of Health and Human Services conducts this type of research and provides some funding for it within current federal limitations. We found that HHS doesn’t consistently disclose important details about its process for weighing the risks and benefits of this research or reveal how many projects involve these potentially dangerous pathogens. We recommended HHS address this issue to ensure public trust in federally funded research. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107348
2/19/26: Biotech investor set to lead US National Science Foundation (Nature) US President Donald Trump plans to nominate biotechnology investor Jim O’Neill to be the next leader of the National Science Foundation (NSF), a White House spokesperson confirmed to Nature. The NSF, one of the largest funders of basic US research, has been without a permanent head since April 2025 when director Sethuraman Panchanathan abruptly resigned as the Trump administration cut hundreds of the agency’s research grants and proposed a massive budget cut. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00537-5
2/18/26: Reminder of Requirement for Certification of IRB Approval (NIH NOT-OD-26-043) This Notice is to remind the extramural research community that NIH requires certification that all nonexempt human subjects research has been reviewed and approved by an appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB). Applicants must submit the date of final IRB approval, which is the date that all protocols in the proposed research application received IRB review and approval (i.e., the date of the last protocol approval). Submission of pending (e.g., conditional, pre-approval, interim) or expired IRB approval dates is not acceptable. NIH will not allow any funds to be used by recipients for nonexempt human subjects research where certification via final IRB approval date has not been provided to the funding Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICO). https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-26-043.html
2/19/26: Why Universities Keep Losing the Argument (The Chronicle) Doctors used to be reminded when making treatment decisions that they should, “first, do no harm.” The same maxim might be urged on would-be spokesmen for higher education. In “ Universities Need a New Defense ,” Lee C. Bollinger, president emeritus of Columbia University, considers “severe and unprecedented challenges” to the modern academy — above all, those emanating from the second Trump administration. https://www.chronicle.com/article/why-universities-keep-losing-the-argument
2/18/26: N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up (New York Times) The director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, will take on the additional role of acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two administration officials said on Wednesday. Dr. Bhattacharya will continue to run the N.I.H., according to the officials, who insisted on anonymity to speak about personnel decisions before President Trump announces them. He will serve until Mr. Trump appoints a permanent director — a position that now requires confirmation by the Senate. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/us/politics/bhattacharya-kennedy-cdc-director.html
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