UC system says Trump's budget cuts could 'devastate' scientific research

"The University of California system is challenging U.S. President Donald Trump's administration with a new campaign aimed at defending federal funding for scientific research. In a Wednesday news release, the university system said Congress' proposed budget for the upcoming year would "devastate" research at universities across the country, including at UC campuses. More than half of the funding the system receives for scientific research comes from the federal government, according to the release."

"Congress' proposed budget includes major cuts to several federal agencies that fund research. They include a $900 million reduction to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an $18 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health. According to the news release, "99% of FDA-approve drugs were developed with federal funding from 2010-2019." If government officials cut back on these grants, the system said it will "hurt every American.""

"The university system's campaign asks the public to contact members of Congress and reject cuts to its critical agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and Department of Energy. The administration's threats to pull funding have already influenced layoffs at UC San Diego and UCSF Health, for example, which laid off hundreds of workers in anticipation of federal funding cuts."

Congress' proposed budget would severely reduce federal research funding, including a $900 million cut to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an $18 billion reduction to the National Institutes of Health. More than half of UC research funding comes from the federal government. Federal grants supported cancer and wildfire prevention research. Ninety-nine percent of FDA-approved drugs were developed with federal funding from 2010–2019. UC urges the public to contact Congress to oppose cuts to NIH, NSF, and the Department of Energy. Anticipation of cuts prompted layoffs at UC San Diego and UCSF Health, and UCLA faced a $1 billion demand to restore $300 million in frozen research funds over alleged unfair treatment of Jewish and Israeli students.

Read at SFGATE