Health
Accessibility Is Taking a Hit Across the Sciences
Tyler Nelson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florida, studies the neurobiology of pain, a choice partly motivated by his own frustrations with a neuromuscular disability. Last October, he applied for a grant at the National Institutes of Health that, if awarded, would support his dream of someday running his own lab.
But, earlier in February, he learned that his application, which took six months to pull together, was about to be thrown out.
The reason: Dr. Nelson had applied for a version of the award that supports researchers who are historically underrepresented in science, including people with disabilities. That funding avenue now violates President Trump’s executive order banning federal agencies from activities related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, or D.E.I.A.
Dr. Nelson was tipped off by an N.I.H. affiliate, but he has received no official notice about the situation. “I’ve tried to call probably 150 times,” he said. Unofficially, he learned that the agency was planning to pull his submission altogether rather than move it to the general award pool for consideration. This has happened with at least one other type of award offered by the agency, which did not respond to a request for comment.
Thanks to the tip, Dr. Nelson was able to withdraw his application and resubmit it to the general award pool before its deadline — but he is unsure if others were so lucky.
“What this does is discriminate against people who are underrepresented,” said an N.I.H. reviewer who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. The reviewer added that the evaluation criteria for the general and diversity award pools were the same, with no priority given to either pool. “I can’t stress enough,” the reviewer said, that an undeserving grant “is not going to get funded, whether it’s ‘diversity’ or not.”
According to Eve Hill, a civil rights lawyer in Washington, D.C., this may violate certain legal protections for people with disabilities, although there is no precedent in court.
“They’ve provided this category to overcome past discrimination,” she said. “By not then considering them in the general award, they are exacerbating that discrimination.”
The predicament is one of many ways that accessibility across the sciences is taking a hit from the D.E.I.A. shutdown. Federal agencies, once proponents for increasing opportunities for scientists with disabilities, are now ceasing programs geared toward that goal. Left uncertain is how funding for disability research — from designing accessible health services to building better prosthetics — will be affected by the order.
People with disabilities make up more than a quarter of the nation’s population and are considered to be the world’s largest minority. But experts say that, until recently, disability has largely been neglected in discussions about marginalized groups.
“Accessibility was always seen as an afterthought,” said Kim Knackstedt, a disability policy consultant in Washington, D.C. “Whether intentional or not, disability has been excluded from a lot of D.E.I. efforts.”
That extends to the sciences. The National Science Foundation reported that, in 2021, people with disabilities made up only 3 percent of the STEM work force. Only in 2023 did the N.I.H. designate people with disabilities as a community that experienced health disparities.
As the first director of disability policy in the Biden administration, Dr. Knackstedt led a push for accessibility to be at the forefront of diversity, equity and inclusion policy. One outcome of this effort was an executive order issued by President Biden that explicitly named accessibility as an area to strengthen in the federal work force.
“That was a win for many of us,” said Bonnielin Swenor, an epidemiologist who founded the Disability Health Research Center at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Swenor, who experienced barriers pursuing a research career because of a visual impairment, added that it was disheartening “to have that progress not just stopped, but rolled back.”
Federal science agencies scrambled to comply with the reversal, leaving scientists and disability advocates apprehensive about the future of accessibility research. Earlier this month, the National Science Foundation began flagging grants that contained buzzwords commonly associated with D.E.I.A., including “disability” and “barrier.”
An N.S.F. program director, who asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation, said that there were “quite a few awards flagged for the word ‘disability,’” including projects to make driving and computing more accessible. The program director added that staff members were unsure if these research activities were banned by the executive order.
A spokesman for the N.S.F. did not answer questions sent by The New York Times regarding the eligibility of such awards.
Robert Gregg, an engineer at the University of Michigan who designs wearable robots for people with mobility impairments, said he had received notification from the N.S.F. to halt D.E.I.A. activities. But he interpreted that to mean supplemental programs aimed at increasing participation of underrepresented groups in science.
“Fundamental research in technology, like robotics and A.I. — my understanding is that that is still perfectly valid and can continue,” he said. But Dr. Gregg also runs clinical trials funded by the N.I.H., and he recently learned that the renewal process for this funding had effectively been frozen again.
Scientists with disabilities are also worried about what the clampdown on accessibility will mean for both their own careers and those of the next generation.
“Disabled people were barely being included,” said Alyssa Paparella, a graduate student at the Baylor College of Medicine who founded an online movement called #DisabledInSTEM. “Now there’s a huge fear of what’s going to be the future of all of us.”
A notice on the N.I.H. website encouraging participation of people with disabilities in the research enterprise has been removed, as has an N.S.F. webpage that listed funding opportunities for scientists with disabilities. Last month, the N.S.F. also indefinitely postponed an engineering workshop to better include people with autism and other neurocognitive differences in the work force.
In the geosciences, many degree programs require students to complete weekslong outdoor field camps that can be difficult to navigate with certain disabilities. This led Anita Marshall, a lecturer at the University of Florida, to found GeoSPACE, an N.S.F.-funded camp that incorporates modern technology and can be completed virtually.
She did not know if GeoSPACE would be able to continue. “This has really knocked me off my feet,” said Dr. Marshall, who described the project as her pride and joy. “I’m not sure what’s next.”
Doubts have sprung up for Dr. Nelson, too. Although he managed to salvage his application for N.I.H. funding, the change has pushed back any clarity about his future in research by at least five months.
“It’s a really dismal time in science for trainees,” he said. “I look at the last 15 years, like, ‘Why did I work this underpaid, high-stress job?’ Do I want to do this forever?”
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Popular glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight-loss drugs may help slow the spread of some cancers, according to new research to be presented at a major medical conference.
Research led by Cleveland Clinic found that the medications may reduce the spread of several obesity-related cancers, including lung, breast, colorectal and liver cancers.
The findings will be presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting next week in Chicago.
WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS NOW LINKED TO CANCER PROTECTION IN WOMEN, MAJOR NEW STUDY REVEALS
According to a press release, the real-world retrospective study included 12,112 patients with the following types of obesity-related cancers, ranging from stage 1 to stage 3.
Popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may help slow the spread of some cancers, according to new research to be presented at a major medical conference. (iStock)
- Breast adenocarcinoma
- Prostate adenocarcinoma
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
- Colorectal adenocarcinoma
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer)
- Renal cell carcinoma
- Pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Half of the participants started a GLP-1 medication – semaglutide, tirzepatide, dulaglutide, liraglutide, lixisenatide or pramlintide – after their cancer diagnosis.
The other half began taking a DPP-4 inhibitor comparator “gliptins,” a different class of diabetes medications, the study noted.
WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS’ IMPACT ON CANCER RISK REVEALED IN NEW STUDY
Compared to the patients taking gliptins, the GLP-1 users were found to have significantly lower progression to stage 4 disease for four types of cancers.
The biggest risk reduction was for non-small cell lung cancer (50%), followed by breast cancer (43%), colorectal cancer (31%) and liver cancer (38%).
Compared to the patients taking gliptins, the GLP-1 users were found to have significantly lower progression to stage 4 disease for four types of cancers. (iStock)
“Our study found that use of GLP-1 drugs, compared to DPP-4 inhibitors and other antidiabetic drugs, was associated with a meaningful reduction in cancer progression across four solid tumor types,” said lead study author Mark David Orland, MD, of the Taussig Cancer Institute at Cleveland Clinic, in the release. “It provides early evidence that future studies are worth pursuing.”
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Three other types of cancer – prostate, pancreatic and kidney – also had lower rates of spread among those taking GLP-1s, but those differences were “not statistically significant,” the researchers noted.
“Our study found that use of GLP-1 drugs … was associated with a meaningful reduction in cancer progression across four solid tumor types.”
Tumors with higher levels of GLP-1 receptors — proteins that help cells respond to GLP-1 hormones and drugs — were also linked to better survival outcomes, according to the study findings.
Overall, patients whose tumors had more of these receptors were about one-third less likely to die during the study period.
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The incidence of adverse side effects was similar between GLP-1 and gliptin groups.
The findings suggest that GLP-1 pathways may directly influence how some cancers grow or spread, though researchers say more studies are needed to understand the mechanism behind this effect.
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The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, had some limitations, according to the researchers. As it was retrospective and observational in design – as opposed to a randomized clinical trial – it couldn’t prove that GLP-1 drugs directly prevent cancer progression.
The findings suggest that GLP-1 pathways may directly influence how some cancers grow or spread, though researchers say more studies are needed to understand the mechanism behind this effect. (iStock)
Other factors, such as participants’ health conditions, weight loss and metabolic improvements, may have influenced the results, researchers noted.
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For some specific cancer types, there may not have been enough patients represented to detect statistically significant differences.
Further randomized clinical trials are needed to evaluate these preliminary findings and to determine the specific ways in which GLP-1s control cancer progression.
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The benefits of grapes could go beyond providing a healthy snack.
According to a study published in the journal ACS Nutrition Science, regular grape consumption can change how the genes behave, giving the skin an added defense system against sun damage.
The research, led by scientists at Western New England University, suggests that grapes could trigger changes in DNA.
EATING A COMMON VITAMIN-C PACKED FRUIT MIGHT TOTALLY TRANSFORM SKIN, STUDY FINDS
Researchers tracked a group of volunteers who first followed a restricted diet for two weeks to clear their systems, according to a press release.
Then, for the next two weeks, they ate the equivalent of three daily servings of whole grapes, provided in a concentrated, freeze-dried powder form.
Regular grape consumption can change how the genes behave, giving the skin an added defense system against sun damage, research suggests. (iStock)
The scientists took small skin samples before and after the grape diet, testing them both under normal conditions and after exposing them to low doses of ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun.
At the start of the study, each volunteer had their own pattern of gene activity. However, these patterns shifted noticeably after they ate grapes, after they were exposed to UV light, and when the grape-eating was combined with UV exposure.
SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE CAN POSE LIFE-CHANGING HEALTH BENEFITS, EXPERT SAYS
While everyone’s individual genetic responses were unique, grape consumption changed gene expression across all participants.
When skin is exposed to UV rays, it normally creates a chemical called malondialdehyde, which is a warning sign of cellular damage. After eating grapes, the volunteers showed significantly less of this damaging chemical, the study found.
When skin is exposed to UV rays, it normally creates a chemical called malondialdehyde, which is a warning sign of cellular damage. (iStock)
“We are now certain that grapes act as a superfood and mediate a nutrigenomic response in humans,” John Pezzuto, PhD, professor and dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University, said in the press release.
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“We observed this with the largest organ of the body, the skin. The changes in gene expression indicated improvements in skin health.”
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Pezzuto also noted that the benefits likely don’t stop at the skin.
“Beyond skin, it is nearly certain that grape consumption affects gene expression in other somatic tissues of the body, such as the liver, muscles, kidney and even brain,” he said.
“The changes in gene expression indicated improvements in skin health,” the researcher said. (iStock)
A major limitation of the study is its very small sample size, as usable, complete RNA sequencing data was successfully obtained from only four female participants, the researchers noted.
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Additionally, all four of these women shared a very similar skin type and background, meaning the genetic findings may not apply to a broader, more diverse population.
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The researchers also emphasized that regular grape consumption cannot replace traditional sunscreen or sun-safe habits, and that the study relied on a highly concentrated grape powder rather than occasional, casual snacking.
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An investigational dementia drug may also ease alcohol withdrawal by calming the brain inflammation linked to addiction and relapse.
That’s according to researchers at the University of Kentucky, who studied an experimental medication called MW150 that targets a brain inflammation pathway known as p38α MAPK.
The drug, which has not yet been approved, is designed to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
ALCOHOL DEATHS HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN RECENT YEARS, ESPECIALLY AMONG WOMEN
Scientists believe neuroinflammation may contribute to relapse risk and long-term neurological damage in people with alcohol use disorder.
In laboratory and animal-model experiments, MW150 was found to reduce certain inflammatory markers during alcohol withdrawal.
An investigational dementia drug may also ease alcohol withdrawal by calming the brain inflammation linked to addiction and relapse. (iStock)
The work, which was published in the journal Alcohol, came from the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, led by neuroinflammation researcher Linda Van Eldik.
ALCOHOL POSES THESE 8 RISKS TO OLDER ADULTS, EXPERTS WARN
Caleb Bailey, Ph.D., co-author of the study and a researcher in Van Eldik’s lab, said the study provides “biological plausibility” that MW150 could mitigate neuroinflammation arising from alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol use disorder is difficult to treat because of high relapse rates, especially during withdrawal, according to Bailey.
Alcohol use disorder is difficult to treat because of high relapse rates, especially during withdrawal, according to the researchers. (iStock)
“If follow-up experiments reveal similar anti-inflammatory effects of MW150 in animal models of alcohol use disorder, it would provide a strong rationale for development of MW150 as a treatment for those struggling with chronic alcohol relapse due to alcohol withdrawal,” he told Fox News Digital.
‘I”M A NEUROSURGEON — HERE’S WHAT ALCOHOL DOES TO THE BODY’
Along with a related drug called Neflamapimod, MW150 is already being investigated in clinical trials as a potential therapy for dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions, the researchers noted.
“That gives this work added significance,” Bailey said. “Because these compounds are already further along in development for other neurological diseases, it raises the possibility that they could someday be repurposed more efficiently for alcohol-related conditions if future studies continue to show promise.”
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There were some important caveats to the research, including that it was conducted in cell culture and animal models.
“Because they are ‘dish’-based models, they provide limited information regarding what happens in the full organism – or even the full brain for that matter,” Bailey said.
MW150, along with a related drug called Neflamapimod, is already being investigated in clinical trials as a potential therapy for dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions. (iStock)
“A series of follow-up studies in living animals is required to more fully understand how future MW150 treatment in alcohol use and withdrawal affects systemic health and/or alcohol consumption.”
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Dr. Amy Swift, deputy chief medical officer at Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut, was not involved in the study but shared her reactions to the findings.
“Although detoxification using tapering doses of medication has long been considered the evidence-based first step in treating alcohol use disorder, its impact on the long-term trajectory of a person’s drinking behavior has been limited,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Minimizing alcohol consumption … is the best strategy for staying healthy.”
“Put simply, detoxification does not treat alcohol use disorder itself; rather, it prevents the potentially fatal complications of alcohol withdrawal.”
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Adding supportive medications — especially those intended to improve overall brain health — could address an important gap in early treatment of detoxification, according to Swift.
“It is worthwhile to investigate whether reducing neuroinflammation could improve a patient’s ability to engage in treatment earlier in recovery and, in turn, meaningfully alter their long-term relationship with alcohol,” an expert said. (iStock)
“Given the profound inflammatory effects alcohol has across multiple organ systems, it is worthwhile to investigate whether reducing neuroinflammation could improve a patient’s ability to engage in treatment earlier in recovery and, in turn, meaningfully alter their long-term relationship with alcohol,” she added.
Bailey emphasized that no amount of alcohol consumption is good from a physical health standpoint.
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“We don’t currently have robust pharmacological treatments to mitigate damage caused by chronic alcohol consumption,” he said. “Minimizing alcohol consumption, therefore, is the best strategy for staying healthy.”
As the MW150 compound continues to be studied for dementia patients, Bailey saud, “information regarding the interaction between these drugs and alcohol — for better or for worse — will be important for patient outcomes.”
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