For over a century, the United States has been a global leader in scientific research, driving groundbreaking discoveries and technological advancements. Over the past 50 years, progress has accelerated, particularly in biomedical research, fueled by molecular biology and computational tools handling vast amounts of data.
Technological breakthroughs have led to the creation of the internet with widespread connectivity of computers and smartphones – innovations we now take for granted. These advancements originated from fundamental scientific research largely conducted at U.S. colleges and universities, supported by government funding.
Recent and planned policy changes under the second Trump administration have significantly hindered multiple scientific disciplines. Funding cuts and administrative instability are negatively affecting biomedical, environmental, agricultural, public health, engineering, and climate science research and education, with repercussions for every American.
The National Institutes of Health faces a $4 billion funding reduction, directly impacting research grants and the training of future scientists. The National Science Foundation is experiencing mass layoffs and the suspension of grant review panels, delaying research projects and stalling national scientific progress.
Meanwhile, budget cuts and policy shifts at the Environmental Protection Agency are undermining environmental research and public health protections. Efforts to privatize and defund institutions like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration threaten crucial weather predictions, disaster preparedness, and climate research. The U.S. Forest Service is also sustaining significant layoffs, reducing wildfire management capabilities at a time when wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe.
International scientific collaboration is equally at risk. The administration’s decision to eliminate the U.S. Agency for International Development has disrupted foreign aid contracts, leading to the abrupt termination of programs addressing global health challenges such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, malnutrition, and maternal and child health.
These setbacks have reversed progress in combating infectious diseases, diminished the ability to monitor global health threats and will ultimately increase mortality rates both domestically and worldwide.
The dismissal of scientific advisory committees, prohibitions on data sharing with the World Health Organization and the firing of government experts who inform international policy further weaken scientific advancements, oversight, and security – essential elements for global progress and stability.
Cuts to government infrastructure and broader administrative instability threaten the United States’ position as a global leader in scientific innovation. Without immediate action to restore funding, safeguard research integrity and reaffirm a commitment to foundational research, our nation risks long-term regression in technological and scientific progress.
The future of medicine, technology and public health – and the well-being of millions – depends on an unwavering commitment to unbiased, well-supported scientific inquiry.
Criticism of government-funded research has intensified in recent years, with some portraying specific projects as frivolous. Such scrutiny is often sensationalized, fostering the misconception that basic research lacks value. This is very far from the truth.
Basic research in the U.S. is evaluated under a robust peer review system, which is a crucial component, ensuring credibility, reliability, and ethical considerations in scientific work. This rigorous evaluation process fosters impactful and forward-driven innovation. Federal agencies such as the NIH, NSF, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and EPA employ stringent review processes, with panels of experts meticulously evaluating every grant proposal. Only the highest-ranked proposals – typically less than 20% of submissions – receive funding. This ensures that public funds support high-quality, innovative research aligned with national priorities in science, engineering, public health and environmental sustainability.
Beyond its role in advancing scientific knowledge, basic research is crucial for educating the next generation of professionals in science, engineering, and medicine. It fosters innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, equipping future scientists, physicians and engineers with the expertise needed to drive progress in their fields. Federal funding supports most of this training, supplemented by private organizations such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, which allocate resources to advanced education and research opportunities.
Every American benefits from the outcomes of basic research, the products of which have been commercialized in the private sector and are part of our everyday lives and has led to technologies ranging from smartphones, rapid diagnostic tests and smart home sensors to global positioning systems.
Sustained investment in basic science is essential to ensuring that future generations possess the knowledge and skills to continue driving technological and scientific progress. This investment is not a luxury – it is a necessity. Without it, the United States risks losing its competitive edge, jeopardizing public health, environmental sustainability, and technological leadership. The alternative is stagnation – a scientific Dark Age that threatens to undo decades of progress and innovation.
Paul N. Black, Ph.D., is the Charles Bessey professor and chair of Biochemistry (Emeritus) at the University of Nebraska and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Concetta C. DiRusso, Ph.D., is the George Holmes University professor of biochemistry (Emeritus) at the University of Nebraska and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Black is a Durango native and both he and DiRusso have made their home in Durango since 2020.
