Leadership Purge, Reductions in Force, and Grant Terminations at Health Agencies
In a stunning shakeup, the Trump Administration has removed or reassigned multiple top leaders from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal health agencies, triggering widespread concern among scientists and public health officials. On new NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya's first day, the directors of at least 5 of its 27 institutes and centers--including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases--were placed on leave or given abrupt reassignments to locations such as Alaska, Montana, and Oklahoma. Several center directors at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were also removed. Former NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli called the treatment of these directors "unconscionable."
The dismissals are part of a broader restructuring ordered by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which includes laying off 10,000 employees across federal health and research agencies, including 1,300 at NIH, 3,500 at FDA, and 2,400 at CDC, and consolidating 28 divisions of the HHS into 15 new divisions. These staffing cuts are on top of the 10,000 HHS employees who accepted the buyout offer earlier this year. The total planned reduction of 20,000 personnel represents roughly a quarter of the HHS workforce. Critics warned the move strips agencies of institutional knowledge and threatens vital public health and research programs. Not long after the firings began, HHS said some fired employees would be reinstated after a "computer error" or "coding error" led to their accidental terminations.
The Administration fired several staff at the US Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, which works towards ending the nation's HIV epidemic, and has abruptly terminated more than 200 federal grants for research related to HIV and AIDS. Furthermore, the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, housed within the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health and tasked with preventing exposures to harmful environmental hazards and responding to climate change, is also being terminated "in its entirety."
Simultaneously, more than 700 research grants--especially in areas like transgender health, vaccine research, and diversity--have been canceled, reinforcing accusations that the Administration is targeting science for political reasons. Among the cuts were studies seeking new vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and other pathogens that may cause future pandemics. "Now that the pandemic is over, the grant funds are no longer necessary," the Administration stated in a notice to investigators.
A new lawsuit filed last week in Massachusetts's federal district court challenges the termination of NIH research grants, totaling more than $2.4 billion, arguing the cuts were arbitrary, politically motivated, and violated federal procedures. Filed by scientists and advocacy groups, the suit claims the cancellations lack transparency and due process, threatening scientific progress and public health.
NIH has also been asked by the Administration to eliminate $2.6 billion in contracts. The cuts are part of a 35% reduction in contracts requested by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency for each HHS division. According to an official memo, "contracts will be reviewed with an eye towards reducing or eliminating unnecessary spending," and those that are continued must be "mission-critical and will require robust justification." Contracts constitute a large part of NIH's $47 billion budget, supporting many activities, including clinical trials, and much of its workforce.
Trump Nixes NSF Construction Budget for FY 2025
President Trump has removed the "emergency" designation from $234 million in National Science Foundation (NSF) construction funds for fiscal year (FY) 2025, effectively blocking the release of the money Congress had approved as part of the recently enacted full-year continuing resolution. The funds were earmarked for major science infrastructure projects, including Antarctic research base upgrades and various mid-scale infrastructure projects.
Congress had labeled the funds as emergency spending to bypass federal budget caps, but Trump declined to approve 11 of 27 such designations across agencies. The move has drawn bipartisan pushback, with Senate Appropriations leaders calling it illegal and urging the Office of Management and Budget to reverse course.
If Trump's decision stands, it's unclear whether NSF can redirect funds from other accounts to make up the shortfall, which represents a 2.6% cut to its FY 2024 budget. Also at risk is $100 million in construction funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Trump's New CDC Nominee
President Trump has nominated Susan Monarez, an expert in infectious disease and biosecurity, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after withdrawing his initial nominee, David Weldon. If confirmed, Monarez, who has been serving as the acting CDC Director since January, would be the first nonphysician to head the agency in over 50 years.
Monarez, a long term government employee, previously served as Deputy Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), where she oversaw initiatives focused on using artificial intelligence to improve public health outcomes. She has also held positions at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Department of Homeland Security.
While some see Monarez, who holds a Ph.D. in microbiology, as a qualified choice, concerns have been raised within the agency about her limited communications to CDC staff and willingness to follow political directives. She will likely face scrutiny over recent decisions, including delays in a vaccine advisory meeting and compliance with White House directives to pull down websites with LGBTQ content. Her nomination follows the failed bid of David Weldon, whose vaccine skepticism raised concerns in the medical community. She inherits major public health challenges, including measles outbreaks and bird flu, and will oversee potential budget cuts as part of the broader government efficiency initiative.
Trump Calls for "Golden Age of American Innovation" in Letter to Science Advisor
In a letter to the new head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Michael Kratsios, President Trump has called for the revitalization of America's scientific and technological enterprise. Trump framed the effort as a return to the spirit of historic national achievements like the Manhattan Project and the Apollo Program.
Trump outlined a vision to "usher in the Golden Age of American Innovation," warning that global rivals are closing in on the nation's long-standing technological edge. "We must recapture the urgency which propelled us so far in the last century," Trump wrote. The letter tasks Kratsios with tackling three major challenges: securing U.S. dominance in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum science, revitalizing the scientific enterprise to reduce red tape and foster discovery, and ensuring innovation benefits all Americans. Kratsios was confirmed as OSTP Director last month with bipartisan support.
"We are not just competing with other nations; we are seeking, striving, fighting to make America greater than ever before," Trump stated, urging a renewed commitment to research, talent development, and global leadership.
Fish and Wildlife Nominee Clears Confirmation Hearing
Brian Nesvik, a Wyoming native and former director of the state's Game and Fish Department, is poised to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after a smooth Senate confirmation hearing. A retired Army National Guard Brigadier General, Nesvik won Senator John Barrasso's (R-WY) praise for his experience managing endangered species and wildlife in Wyoming, including grizzly bears and wolves.
He emphasized priorities such as improving efficiency in Endangered Species Act consultations and supporting national wildlife refuges. While environmental groups have criticized his nomination, Democratic lawmakers offered little resistance. Nesvik meets the statutory requirement for scientific expertise in the role, unlike Trump's first-term appointee Aurelia Skipwith, and appears headed for confirmation.
National Academies' Elected Members Sound Warning in Open Letter
Nearly 2,000 top U.S. scientists have signed an open letter accusing the Trump Administration of waging a "wholesale assault on U.S. science." The letter, led by members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, warns that deep funding cuts, mass layoffs, censorship, and pressure to alter research for ideological reasons are threatening decades of scientific progress and public health.
"For over 80 years, wise investments by the US government have built up the nation's research enterprise, making it the envy of the world," write the signatories, who include Nobel laureates, prominent researchers, and several past AIBS Board members, including Paul Ehrlich, Gene Likens, Steward Pickett, and May R. Berenbaum. "Astoundingly, the Trump administration is destabilizing this enterprise by gutting funding for research, firing thousands of scientists, removing public access to scientific data, and pressuring researchers to alter or abandon their work on ideological grounds."
The letter calls on the Administration to cease the attacks on science and urges the public to engage with their members of Congress on these issues. "We are sending this SOS to sound a clear warning: the nation's scientific enterprise is being decimated."
NIH Scientific Integrity Policy Rescinded
The Trump Administration has rescinded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientific integrity policy designed to protect federal scientists from political interference, originally implemented under President Biden.
The policy aimed to safeguard research from political meddling and stated that "diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are integral components of the entire scientific process." Its removal aligns with Trump's Executive Orders limiting DEI-related initiatives. Critics, including watchdog groups and scientific organizations, warn that the change weakens protections for researchers, potentially stifles scientific truth, and could lead to more political meddling in public health research.
Sudden Termination of NASA Grants Create Confusion
Last month, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), announced the sudden termination of $420 million in contracts at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), with little transparency about what was cut, leaving researchers, students, and organizations scrambling for answers.
Among the affected programs were STEM outreach and diversity initiatives. Terminated contracts were "determined to be redundant or misaligned with our core mission priorities," said NASA Press Secretary Bethany Stevens.
One casualty was Native Earth | Native Sky, a NASA-funded Oklahoma State University project bringing culturally relevant STEM education to Native American students. The grant was unexpectedly canceled, despite creating culturally relevant STEM curricula for over 5,000 middle schoolers. Another terminated grant went to the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) to support annual conferences that inspire young physicists of color.
Many grants are unaccounted for with several NASA-supported researchers unsure whether their project has survived.
AIBS Provides Testimony in Support of FY 2026 Funding for Smithsonian Institution, USGS, USFWS, and EPA
AIBS has provided testimony to the House Appropriations Committee regarding fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding for biological research programs within the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The testimony reads, in part: "We encourage Congress to provide additional funding to the Smithsonian Institution in FY 2026, including at least $60 million to the National Museum of Natural History with new funding to support scientific and curatorial work. We urge Congress to provide the USGS with $1.85 billion in FY 2026, with at least $395 million for its Ecosystems Mission Area. We further request that Science Applications within USFWS be provided at least $55.5 million in FY 2026. Lastly, we request that Congress provide EPA Science and Technology with at least $876 million in FY 2026."
Robust federal investments in scientific research and monitoring that improves our understanding of biological diversity and ecosystem function must be a priority, urged AIBS, noting that the agencies funded by this appropriations bill are centrally involved in conducting, supporting, and using this scientific research. "Shrinking budgets and workforce for these agencies will strain our ability to address national challenges and remain a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation."
Read the testimony submitted to House appropriators. A similar letter will be submitted to the Senate.
AIBS Endorses Letters Supporting Boosts for Agricultural Research in FY 2026
The American Institute of Biological Sciences has signed on to community letters supporting increased funding for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), as well as Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AgARDA) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
As USDA's chief intramural research agency, ARS supports research across the full spectrum of food and agriculture at more than 90 research locations across the country. The ARS support letter, endorsed by 60 organizations, requests a total of $1.88 billion in funding for ARS in fiscal year (FY) 2026. "Sustained federal investment in food and agricultural research at ARS provides the foundation for a resilient domestic agricultural supply chain and ensures American farmers remain competitive in global markets," the letter reads.
The second letter, signed by 75 organizations, requests an appropriation of no less than $500 million for the AFRI program, USDA's flagship competitive grants program for fundamental and applied research, extension, and education in support of all topics across the food and agricultural enterprise. "AFRI-funded research has been instrumental in developing solutions to combat emerging threats such as avian influenza, improving livestock and crop resilience to variable weather conditions, and supporting precision agriculture to increase efficiency and sustainability," the groups argued.
The AgARDA support letter, signed by 40 organizations, calls for an investment of $10 million in FY 2026 for AgARDA, which was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and modeled after successful advanced research agencies like DARPA and ARPA-E to foster research, development, and technology transfer resulting in significant benefits across the U.S. food and agriculture value chain.
Read the letters.
AIBS Joins Letter Urging Congress to Protect IMLS
On March 28, 2025, AIBS joined the Natural Science Collections Alliance and 72 other professional societies and organizations in sending a letter to Congress expressing deep concern regarding the March 14 Executive Order targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for elimination. The groups urged lawmakers to work with the Administration to ensure that Congress' long-standing and bipartisan commitment to authorizing and appropriating funds to IMLS is not undermined by potential executive actions.
"We urge Congress to take decisive action to protect IMLS from harmful funding and staffing cuts," the letter reads. "Public funding is crucial in order for museums, small and large, to fulfill their educational, cultural, and community roles, especially for smaller institutions that may struggle with private funding alone. We ask Congress to uphold its commitment to museums, demonstrated through the bipartisan reauthorization of IMLS in 2018. Preserving this vital agency is essential to maintaining the public benefits that museums provide to millions of Americans."
Read the letter.
Action Alert: Contact Your Members of Congress About Protecting IMLS
On March 14, President Trump issued an Executive Order intended to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an agency that plays a crucial role in supporting museums and libraries nationwide. Then on March 31, the entire IMLS staff was placed on administrative leave, raising concerns about the agency's ability to fulfill its legal obligations to distribute congressionally appropriated funds. This uncertainty puts museums, libraries, and communities nationwide at risk of losing essential resources.
In the natural sciences, IMLS supports not only natural history museums but also living collections, such as botanic gardens. It is critical for members of the natural science collections community to communicate with their lawmakers about the far-reaching impacts of these actions and the importance of sustained IMLS funding for natural science collections.
AIBS member Natural Science Collections Alliance has established an advocacy campaign through the AIBS Legislative Action Center to enable individuals to weigh in. Interested individuals are encouraged to call and write to members of Congress using the provided template letter and phone call script urging them to take immediate action to protect IMLS from harmful funding and staffing cuts.
Enter the 15th Annual Faces of Biology Photo Contest
Enter the Faces of Biology Photo Contest for a chance to win $250 and to have your photo appear on the cover of the journal BioScience.
The competition showcases, in a personal way, biological research in its many forms and settings. The images help the public and policymakers better understand the value of biological research and education. The competition is sponsored by the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology in addition to the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS).
"The Faces of Biology Photo Contest is more than just a competition; it's an opportunity to capture science through photography, to celebrate creativity, and to connect society with the beauty in biology," said Scott Glisson, AIBS Chief Executive Officer. "It reminds us that every moment in science is worth preserving, and every scientist has a story to tell."
The theme of the contest is "Faces of Biology." Photographs entered into the competition must depict a person, such as a scientist, technician, or student, engaging in biological research. The depicted research may occur outside, in a lab, with a natural history collection, on a computer, in a classroom, or elsewhere.
The winning photos from the 2024 contest will be featured in the April 2025 issue of BioScience.
Submissions must be received by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 30, 2025. For more information or to enter the contest, visit our website.
Student Summer Internship Opportunities
With federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health scaling back support for student research and internship programs this summer, AIBS has compiled a resource to highlight alternative summer programs for students and early-career scientists. Our goal is to help ensure continued professional development for the next generation of scientists.
This is an evolving resource. If your society or organization offers or is aware of any summer research or internship opportunities for students and early career scientists, please share the details with us at membership@aibs.org.
Short Takes
-
House Science Committee Democrats have introduced bills to block planned staff cuts, or reductions-in-force (RIFs), at key federal science agencies, including the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy. Led by Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), the push comes in response to White House orders for agency reorganization plans aimed at major workforce cuts. Leaked documents suggest vital research offices, like the EPA's Office of Research and Development, could be eliminated.
-
Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party John Moolenaar (R-MI) sent letters to the presidents of six universities requesting information on their policies and practices regarding the enrollment of Chinese national students in advanced STEM programs and questioning their involvement in federally funded research. Moolenaar also asked whether the universities conduct background screening on students from China applying to sensitive research programs and whether their faculty have research ties with Chinese institutions.
- Three-quarters of the 1,600 American scientists who responded to a recent Nature poll are considering leaving the United States following the disruptions prompted by the Trump Administration, with many looking for jobs in Europe and Canada.
-
Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana recently co-authored an op-ed in the Washington Post, arguing that investing in scientific research and development is vital to U.S. security. The article calls for the U.S. to remain committed to science and technology investment to remain globally competitive.
-
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, have sent a letter to President Trump about the future of the American research enterprise, requesting "immediate clarification" on the Administration's plan to sustain and advance science in the United States.
From the Federal Register
The following items appeared in the Federal Register from March 24 to April 4, 2025.
Commerce
Environmental Protection Agency
Health and Human Services
National Science Foundation
