Anastasia Khvorova, a renowned RNA biologist at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, is facing an uncertain future due to the Trump administration’s drastic cuts to federal science funding. The proposed slashes will significantly impact her laboratory’s research on diseases such as Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s, putting millions of Americans at risk.
The 80-year-old partnership between the government and universities that has made the US a scientific superpower is being destabilized by the policy twists. Research institutions across the country are feeling the pinch, with many facing significant funding shortfalls and layoffs.
Khvorova’s lab is one of the few that remains unaffected, thanks to Chan Medical School’s relatively stable funding. However, even she acknowledges that the uncertainty is “absolutely suicidal” and may force her to scale back her ambitions.
The Trump administration claims that the cuts are targeted corrections aimed at reducing red tape in research. However, experts argue that the real impact will be felt in decades to come, as basic research is essential for developing life-saving treatments and innovations.
“We can’t make the bread without it,” said John Maraganore, who led Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, a company spun out of Chan Medical School, which has discovered six approved drugs. “Basic research is the foundation of innovation.”
The cuts have already had a significant impact on researchers like Jesse Lehman, a graduate student at Chan Medical School, who fears that his 10-year career may not be viable due to the unpredictable funding.
As the scientific community pushes back against the Trump administration’s science agenda, it remains to be seen how these cuts will ultimately affect the progress of medical research in the US.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/11/trump-science-nobel-innovation-cuts