Scientists, faculty and staff at Emory University received an alarming email Saturday: An announcement of funding caps from the National Institutes of Health meant scientists and their labs at research institutions across the US would need to tighten their belts.
For the Atlanta-based school, a preeminent research university that specializes in health and medicine — including cancer, vaccines and drugs to prevent and treat HIV — the new federal cap will decrease funding by $140 million a year.
“To put it simply, this development could affect nearly every academic unit at Emory, with both immediate and long-term consequences for our scientific research, clinical trials, patient care, and other academic pursuits,” the memo said.
Across the many federal agencies that fund or conduct scientific research — or use science to make rules affecting human health, the environment and public safety — multiple scientists describe to CNN and on social media a fear of staff getting laid off or losing funding.
Universities that do breakthrough-level studies are scrambling to understand the effects as their funding agencies slash their budgets.
