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Science under siege: Trump cuts threaten to undermine decades of research
NBC News | Comcast ^ | February 18, 2025 | By Evan Bush, Aria Bendix and Denise Chow

Posted on 02/18/2025 12:48:02 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

Sweeping layoffs, funding freezes and executive orders have provoked outcry among federal researchers and their university partners, who fear that science itself is under siege.

“This is simply the end.”

That was the five-word message that Rick Huganir, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, received from a colleague just before 6 p.m. two Fridays ago, with news that would send a wave of panic through the scientific community.…

The flurry of activity in recent weeks stems from Trump’s executive orders that aim to shrink the federal workforce and target programs related to gender identity, environmental justice or diversity, equity and inclusion.

In upending the scientific status quo, the Trump administration has focused on three main areas: cutting federal workers, slashing budgets and reversing efforts to expand diversity within science.

Its most significant financial move took place on Feb. 7, when NIH announced it would limit indirect funding for laboratories that receive federal research grants to 15%. The policy, if allowed to continue, would slash billions of dollars for overhead costs that support biomedical research.

Though NIH estimated that the move would save $4 billion each year, it would also leave universities and research institutes to foot much of the bill instead, and many have said they simply can’t.

Today, when a scientist at Johns Hopkins University receives an NIH grant for a project — say, $1 million a year — the university receives an additional 55%, or $550,000, to cover overhead costs. The rate is negotiated between NIH and Johns Hopkins, and it’s based on an accounting of the university’s research expenses.

“This is a huge cut. Johns Hopkins Medical School would lose $200 million a year,” Huganir said. “It’s not a viable enterprise to do science.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ariabendix; budget; denisechow; evanbush; federal; gaslighting; media; nbc; nbcsedition; nih; press; pulltheirfcclicense; rickhuganir; science; spending
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1 posted on 02/18/2025 12:48:02 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

And, this is a bad thing?


2 posted on 02/18/2025 12:49:16 PM PST by larrytown (A Cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Then they graduate...)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Good.

Research should be independent; it cuts down on agenda science.


3 posted on 02/18/2025 12:49:34 PM PST by Bratch
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

What they’re doing isn’t science.


4 posted on 02/18/2025 12:50:00 PM PST by jdege
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“ Sweeping layoffs, funding freezes and executive orders have provoked outcry among federal researchers and their university partners, who fear that science itself is under siege.”

“This is simply the end.”

—-

This isn’t unhinged rhetoric with no factual information. No, not all. It’s excellent journalism. Science is under siege!!!!

There’s no demagoguery.


5 posted on 02/18/2025 12:51:39 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Here's the bull crap that the article believes constitutes as "science" that's being cut:

and target programs related to gender identity, environmental justice or diversity, equity and inclusion

6 posted on 02/18/2025 12:51:47 PM PST by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Oooohhhh.... aaaahhhhh.... so trust the science has gone the way of the dodo and no more studies on the sexual habits of donkeys.


7 posted on 02/18/2025 12:51:49 PM PST by LastDayz (A Blunt and Brazen Texan. I Will Not Be Assimilated.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Evan Bush, Aria Bendix and Denise Chow”

3 writers/prop artists/liars to put together a pile of crapola.

Don’t they know, Nobody gives a shiiite what they say anymore?


8 posted on 02/18/2025 12:51:54 PM PST by Macoozie (Roll MAGA, roll!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Science?”

Like the “science” that gives us umpteen dozen “genders?”

The “science” that can’t even define a woman?

That “science?”


9 posted on 02/18/2025 12:52:00 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Research like the kind into gain of function?


10 posted on 02/18/2025 12:52:23 PM PST by FlipWilson
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Me:
Read the headline, look to the source, NBC.
Uh huh, more BS.


11 posted on 02/18/2025 12:52:26 PM PST by servo1969
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Ask Sabine Hassenfelder.


12 posted on 02/18/2025 12:53:05 PM PST by Westbrook (democRATs are wizards at two things: Finding votes and losing evidence.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Fact is the 60, 70% plus I directs don’t support the scientists anymore but go to administration including DEI programs etc…


13 posted on 02/18/2025 12:53:37 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

John’s Hopkins can make up the difference by cutting all its DEI programs and redirecting that funding to actual medical research.


14 posted on 02/18/2025 12:53:41 PM PST by Orosius (A“Wake America Up Again )
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

This is science like the science underlying the master race.


15 posted on 02/18/2025 12:53:48 PM PST by alternatives?
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The article has 3 authors which means it is a flat out lie created for the narrative and has nothing to do with any real news.

Given the state of research I hope it is true as any such research was likely a grift anyway and of no value.


16 posted on 02/18/2025 12:54:40 PM PST by Skwor
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
“This is a huge cut. Johns Hopkins Medical School would lose $200 million a year,” Huganir said. “It’s not a viable enterprise to do science.”

Hopkins has an endowment of $10.5 billion. At a measly 5% interest, that would generate nearly $528m per year. They can pay for their own damn "scientific" research.

17 posted on 02/18/2025 12:55:33 PM PST by KevinB (I don’t really care, Margaret.)
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To: FlipWilson

Interesting fact, if we had cut HHS funding earlier there would have never been covid-19.

Sad isn’t it.


18 posted on 02/18/2025 12:55:42 PM PST by Skwor
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

No one cares. Should of thought about that before wasting billions funding “Shrimp running on treadmill” and other nonsensical “research”


19 posted on 02/18/2025 12:56:04 PM PST by MNJohnnie (Don't blame me, my congressman is MTG!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Gender identity, environmental justice, and DEI are not sciences.


20 posted on 02/18/2025 12:57:05 PM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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