Tuesday, December 9, 2025
💬 In a few words:
Oh, sweetie, you won't believe it! The government froze life-saving breast cancer research at Harvard over campus drama, sending scientists packing! The nerve!
More details:
🍵 The Tea
"Oh, sweetie, grab your tea, because I have the juiciest bit of gossip! You know Dr. Brugge over at Harvard? The one practically curing breast cancer? Well, the President — bless his heart — decided to freeze her seven-million-dollar NIH grant back in April! All because of some campus drama about antisemitism! Honestly, these college kids! Poor Dr. Brugge lost seven of her brilliant lab workers overnight! (I swear, my pearls almost popped!)"
😏 The Snark
"Well, I never! Interrupting life-saving cancer research over university squabbles? Honestly, what are they thinking down in Washington? Back in my day, we focused on serious matters! And then, after all that fuss, they lifted the freeze, but too late! She missed the deadline for the next grant! It's like locking the barn door after the prize pig has already run off! (Somebody call the pastor, because this is just plain sinful!) And now, they're talking about cutting the NIH budget by 40%! Forty percent! My word!"
🔎 The Reality Check
"Now, let's calm down and get to the real skinny. Dr. Joan Brugge's Harvard lab, funded by the National Cancer Institute, made a breakthrough identifying pre-cancerous 'seed cells' for breast tumors. Their crucial work was stalled when the Trump administration froze federal grants to Harvard over campus antisemitism concerns. Seven lab employees departed, and although funding was restored, the delay caused Dr. Brugge to miss crucial application deadlines for future grants. The uncertainty is compounded by proposed deep NIH budget cuts and a new $100,000 visa fee for foreign researchers."
❤️ Why Grandma Can’t Even
"Honestly, it's like trying to bake a pie without any flour because someone got cross about the sugar bowl! To kneecap such important work, which has already helped reduce cancer deaths significantly, over political squabbles is simply scandalous. It makes my blood pressure rise just thinking of the lives this could affect, and I've already had my evening chamomile!"
Grandma's waiting on your verdict
Pour dear Grandma another cup by tapping how this gossip feels. She can't finish her knitting until you whisper your take.
