When Science Gets Caught in the Crossfire: The Lasting Impact of Federal Funding Disruptions

A Special Message from PNRI’s CEO and Interim Chief Scientific Officer  

As leaders of PNRI, we want to take a moment to address the recent urgent issues that affect not only our work but the future of biomedical research.

Biomedical research isn’t just about data—it’s about people. The mother searching for a diagnosis for her child’s rare disease. The Alzheimer’s patient struggling to hold onto memories. The family of a child with type 1 diabetes bracing for dangerous drops in blood sugar. The young scientist with the dream of curing their father’s cancer.

Federal funding for biomedical research is a partnership with the American people—an investment in a future where diseases are understood, treated, and ultimately prevented. When that funding is cut off, it doesn’t just slow scientific progress; it threatens the millions of lives that depend on discoveries made possible by this support.

Why Funding Uncertainty Slows Progress

In a matter of days, the new administration disrupted the backbone of biomedical research funding. On January 21, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) restricted external communications at the NIH, CDC, and FDA, leading to the abrupt cancellation of scientific meetings and halting grant reviews. Soon after, the National Science Foundation (NSF) suspended funding decisions and froze previously awarded grants pending compliance reviews. Then, on January 27, a leaked White House memo revealed a full freeze on federal funding, including research grants. While swift legal challenges led the administration to rescind the freeze, the delays have disrupted labs, jeopardized critical studies, halted clinical trials, and introduced deep uncertainty into a system that depends on consistency to advance medical progress.

We’re so close to discoveries that could revolutionize medicine — where cancer treatments are becoming more precise, gene therapies for fatal diseases are entering clinical trials, and new tools are emerging to predict and prevent disease before it takes hold. We’re so close. But none of these discoveries happen overnight.

Science is a long, interconnected process, where each experiment builds on the last. When funding is paused, clinical trials stop, labs go dark, and young scientists—the future of innovation—are left wondering if they can continue their work. The ripple effects aren’t theoretical; they’re brutal and immediate, delaying the development of treatments that could save lives. For patients and families, these delays are devastating. How do we explain to those waiting for a diagnosis, an effective treatment, or a cure that their futures were put at risk—not by scientific failure, but by political interference? We’re so close to changing lives forever, yet funding uncertainty threatens to pull us back. 

A Fragile System Revealed

At Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI), we know firsthand how deeply these disruptions impact not only our work but the entire research ecosystem. Smaller, independent institutes like PNRI lack the financial buffers of large universities, making them especially vulnerable to sudden funding shifts. The administration’s recent actions are a stark reminder of how fragile the system is—how years of lifesaving progress can be jeopardized by the stroke of a pen.

Every administration sets new priorities, but the direct interference in health agency operations and abrupt funding freezes are unprecedented. Past presidents have shifted research focus—Richard Nixon declared a war on cancer, and George W. Bush launched an emergency plan for AIDS relief. But the sweeping disruptions we have seen in the past 10 days have no precedent.

We Must Remain Vigilant

We urge policymakers to enact safeguards that prevent future disruptions to federal research funding. Scientific progress cannot be held hostage to politics. 

We also call on individuals to champion the medical breakthroughs of tomorrow. Small institutes like PNRI rely on those who believe in the power of science. Every dollar donated makes us stronger to withstand future interruptions to our work. 

Visionary donors can help safeguard scientific progress, ensuring that researchers can stay focused on discovery rather than instability. Their support allows groundbreaking studies to continue uninterrupted, protecting the momentum of life-changing innovation. We’re so close to the next generation of cures. Now is the time to push forward, not pause.The stakes are too high. We must ensure that science moves forward—uninterrupted, unwavering, and unstoppable. Our future health depends on it.

Rare Disease Research: A Community United

Through all of this, we remain confident that collaboration–the cornerstone of impactful scientific progress–will continue to thrive.

Seattle is home to a vibrant research community, and PNRI’s Rare Disease Day event, happening on February 28, 2025, is a testament to what we can achieve when scientists and the broader community unite for a common goal. We’re so close to unlocking the next wave of breakthroughs in rare diseases, and this event is a crucial step toward making them a reality. This special gathering, hosted in partnership with Seattle Children’s Research Institute and with participation from the University of Washington, is the largest Rare Disease Day event on the West coast. It will bring together researchers, clinicians, advocates, and families to accelerate progress in many of the more than 7000 rare diseases. By fostering collaboration, sharing breakthroughs, and amplifying the voices of those affected by rare diseases, we are strengthening the foundation for future discoveries.

We’re so close. Let’s not stop now.

Thank you for supporting the power of science to change lives.