First Coast Connect: Killing medical research

In late April, the White House abruptly fired the entire board of the National Science Foundation, the agency that provides the largest support and funding for nonmedical research and education. It was just the latest in a series of unprecedented decisions that has upended the scientific world. Along with funding freezes, spending caps and deep cuts to ongoing research, the effects are being felt not just in hospitals and university settings, but in the lives of ordinary individuals, including some who are deeply invested in research outcomes. We talk to a participant of one recently canceled Alzheimer’s study about the answers she’d hoped to gain into a devastating family history of dementia, and a local HIV/AIDS researcher who has seen critical funding end for a longitudinal study dating back to 2007. Guests: Jennifer Mansfield, research study participant, partner at Holland & Knight Dr. Mobeen Rathore, pediatric infectious diseases physician and founding director of the University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service Urban arboretum tour A first of its kind approach to preserving, appreciating and educating around Duval County's urban tree canopy, the quarterly Historic Springfield TreeWalks are designed to transform the neighborhood into a “living classroom.” The upcoming Integrated Urban Ecology tour focuses on how the natural elements of the historic district combine with manmade ones in ways that affect walkability, flood control and the overall feel of the community. Led by an experienced urban planner and landscape architect, the event highlights the nascent Springfield Arboretum, a project showcasing tree species around the historic district, which includes 35 identification tags and an opportunity for self-guided tours. We talk to the June 6 tour’s guide about how the Springfield of today is a legacy of decisions made generations ago. Guest: Daniel Ashworth Jr., senior landscape architect and urban designer, member of Springfield Preservation and Revitalization board of directors Main drag Jacksonville community theater The 5 & Dime presents The Legend of Georgia McBride, a special show to honor Pride month and the art of drag. Set in a Florida dive bar, the show tells the story of a young Elvis impersonator who suddenly finds himself making a career change to lip-syncing drag queen. The play explores the poignant ups and downs of self-acceptance and identity, while never losing its sense of humor. JaxPlays gave particular praise to performer Brandon Hines, “whose years as a professional drag queen are on glittering display,” calling the performance “astonishingly assured.” We talk to the show's directors and stage manager about why this story resonates with local audiences and how it fits into the theater’s overall mission. Guests: Madelene Skinner, co-director, The Legend of Georgia McBride Ashli Simmons, stage manager, The Legend of Georgia McBride Greg Hewitt, actor playing Eddie in “The Legend of Georgia McBride” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.