Brett Kowalczyk, PT, DPT, CSCS

PhD Student at Ohio University. Physical Therapist. Artist.

[John Streicher @JohnStreicher1]

@WKCosmo Two sex populations! With enough overlap that the entire concept of a binary becomes ridiculous. Your own data proves the spectrum argument right. Sex is a bimodal distribution which guarantees that some percentage of the population won’t fit in anything you could call a binary.

[World Athletics @WorldAthletics]

MELISSA DOES THE DOUBLE 🥇🥇

@Melissajanae21 is the sprint queen of this year's #WorldAthleticsChamps, after powering to 21.68 to also win the 200m title 🤩

[Simon Maechling @simonmaechling]

mRNA vaccines teach your cells to make a protein, so your immune system learns to fight the real virus later.

[Simon Maechling @simonmaechling]

RFK Jr. just cut $500 million in federal funding for mRNA vaccine development.

Not because the vaccines failed.
Not because they’re unsafe.
But because of ideology.

Twenty-two projects - gone overnight. These weren’t fringe efforts. They included next-gen vaccines for COVID-19, influenza, RSV, and even H5N1 bird flu.

Let’s be clear: mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives during the COVID pandemic.

They don’t prevent every infection, but they do prevent severe illness and death. That’s the gold standard in real-world vaccine effectiveness.

RFK Jr. says he wants “safer” alternatives. But the scientific consensus is crystal clear: mRNA vaccines are among the safest and most effective tools in modern medicine.

Pulling support for them isn’t a safety move - it’s an anti-vaccine statement dressed in bureaucratic language.

This decision wasn’t grounded in science. It was driven by talking points from online influencers and anti-vax communities - not by the CDC, WHO, or FDA.

We’re watching political ideology override evidence-based health policy.

And the timing couldn’t be worse.

Bird flu is circulating. Pandemic risks are real. And mRNA is still our fastest route to a scalable countermeasure.

Cutting this platform means we’ll be slower, less prepared, and more vulnerable next time.

Public health leaders are sounding the alarm:

“A strategic misstep.” – Rick Bright, former BARDA director.

“A disaster for preparedness.” – Paul Offit.

“mRNA has saved lives.” – every infectious disease expert not broadcasting on Facebook Live.

This is what it looks like when science gets sidelined.

We don’t just lose funding.

We lose time.
We lose lives.
We lose the tools that protect us.

RFK Jr. isn’t making America safer. He’s dismantling the infrastructure we’ll need for the next crisis - in the name of belief over biology.

It’s not principled. It’s reckless.

[evan loves worf @esjesjesj]

Can a single Trump supporter explain how catching cancer early is woke

[Brett Kowalczyk, PT, DPT, CSCS @BrettKczyk]

PhD student firsts: First IRB approval for a study I’m helping lead collection on! It’s the small things! #Science

[Boris D Heifets @TheBorisLab]

Dear @NIHDirector_Jay why did the NIH cancel a running grant on gene therapy for hearing loss? Brilliant PI, incredibly productive lab. No advance notice - actually 2 months late, so money is already spent. No recourse, no discussion. Advocate for science!

[Dr. Catharine Young @DrCatharineY]

The true cost of indiscriminate funding cuts isn’t just felt today. It will be felt for years to come. We’re not just losing scientists & research, we’re losing potential breakthroughs. Let’s be clear: this isn’t saving money. It’s dismantling a public good meant to serve us all.

[Brett Kowalczyk, PT, DPT, CSCS @BrettKczyk]

Someone explain to me how this can be a good thing? Simply, WHY? So many more dead because of what?

[Eric Topol @EricTopol]

Summary Table of the massive defunding of biomedical research in the United States https://t.co/lRh7pAbgy6

[Enda King PhD @enda_king]

Massive congratulations to @Thilina_Physio on this double publication in @JOSPT with in depth review of Assessment (part 1) and Rehabilitation (Part 2) of sensorimotor dysfunction after #ACL injury as part of his Phd work in the area.

Identifying and targeting sensorimotor deficits is required throughout the rehab process and is multifactorial and multifacted and this review highlights the clinically applicable strategies - not all about standing on one foot and closing your eyes!!!

This is a great review for you to compare your practice against to see where there are areas for development in your practice

Massive congrats T and to all the co-authors @SSCSantry @nwconditioning Kieran Moran @DevittBrian and very excited to see the follow on work published in the near future

[Amy Klobuchar @amyklobuchar]

This is a stunning act of violence. I’m thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time.

My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.

[Jason Shepherd @JasonSynaptic]

“We dissent to Administration policies that undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe.” #standupforscience

[Jason Shepherd @JasonSynaptic]

This is all misdirection to cast doubt on scientists and universities. NOTHING you or HHS are doing will either improve science or lead to more translational breakthroughs.

[Zhigang Suo @zhigangsuo]

A statement from Sally Kornbluth, President of MIT

[Simon Maechling @simonmaechling]

Hi 👋,
PhD Chemist here:-

Literally everything is made of chemicals.

[Northwestern @NorthwesternU]

In this period of uncertainty, the University will fund research that is subject to stop-work orders or the federal funding freeze, President Schill and Board of Trustees Chair Peter Barris announced today.

▶️ https://t.co/MMHkb4b5Bp

[Lori Michener @LoriMichener]

Excellent editorial to help decipher the impact of research (NIH) funding cuts on rehabilitation. @PTJournal https://t.co/vjBTWE1wGs

[Simon Maechling @simonmaechling]

Every living cell in your body contains mRNA.

[Simon Maechling @simonmaechling]

Science literacy is collapsing.
And with it, the foundations of civilization.

People fear vaccines more than viruses. So diseases we once defeated are coming back.

They fear GMOs more than hunger.
So we reject tools that could feed millions.

They fear nuclear more than climate collapse. So we burn more coal.

They trust influencers over scientists.
So truth becomes a matter of opinion.

This isn’t just ignorance.
It’s a threat.

You can’t solve 21st-century problems with 15th-century thinking.

Science isn’t a luxury. It’s survival.

Teach it. Defend it. Demand it.