As the academic year begins, a significant crisis looms over the faculty and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) due to the Trump administration’s freeze on $584 million in grant funding.
This funding halt has followed a controversial U.S. Department of Justice finding that UCLA failed to adequately respond to allegations of antisemitism faced by Jewish and Israeli students following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
University of California President James B. Milliken described the freeze as a “death knell” for vital research endeavors that could lead to life-saving breakthroughs in cancer treatment and enhanced diagnostic tools for chronic diseases.
Tensions escalated further when the Trump administration demanded that UCLA pay a $1 billion fine along with additional concessions to resolve the accusations.
In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared that the state would sue, dubbing the demand for payment as “extortion.”
Currently, over 800 grants, primarily from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, have been suspended.
For many UCLA scholars, the uncertainty surrounding their funding has led to anxiety and confusion about the future of their research.
While the professors may still have their positions and salaries guaranteed, this freeze impacts numerous graduate students who depend on grant funding for their income, tuition, and healthcare.
Some academics, like Sydney Campbell, a pancreatic cancer researcher at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, report that their work has not yet been interrupted despite the funding freeze.
Campbell holds an independent fellowship that she hopes will cover most of her salary, yet she is acutely aware of the precarious situation many of her colleagues face.
“It is absolutely going to affect people’s livelihoods.
I already know of people… with families who are having to take pay cuts almost immediately,” she stated.
Her research focuses on the interplay between diet and pancreatic cancer, a disease notorious for its lethality.
The understanding gained from her and her colleagues’ work could lead to improved preventive strategies and treatment plans for patients afflicted by the disease.
However, she expressed concern that the ongoing challenges posed by the funding freeze could halt vital research efforts.
“If we can’t carry out our studies, we won’t have the necessary information to offer evidence-based recommendations to patients.
This directly impacts our ability to make a difference in real patients’ lives,” said Campbell, who is also a member of the UAW 4811 academic workers union.
The situation has triggered feelings of despair for some faculty members.
Dino Di Carlo, chair of the UCLA Samueli Bioengineering Department, mentioned that 20 grants, including four projects in his lab worth about $1 million, have been suspended.
The uncertainty surrounding these suspensions evokes a sense of helplessness and frustration.
“Like Josef K., in Kafka’s ‘The Trial,’ the individuals directly affected—young scientists and patients in need of better treatment—are left questioning, ‘What crime did we commit?” he wrote in a LinkedIn post.
His situation illustrates a broader struggle as he attempts to secure alternative funding or job placements for the researchers impacted by the funding cut.
Di Carlo’s work involves developing diagnostic tools for Lyme disease, which is becoming more prevalent.
He believes that bringing a rapid, point-of-care test to market could significantly improve patient outcomes by enabling quicker treatment.
The importance of his research, along with that of several colleagues, is magnified by this funding crisis.
Despite the positive impact their innovations could have on public health, the ongoing funding suspensions are jeopardizing their efforts.
Mathematics professor Terence Tao echoed Di Carlo’s concerns, lamenting the loss of a $25 million grant essential for UCLA’s Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics.
Tao described the situation as “existential,” not just for himself but for the entire institute’s operations.
The abrupt nature of this grant suspension also adds to Tao’s distress—”We got no notice,” he pointed out.
Tao’s research focuses on the structure and randomness of numbers, with implications that could enhance security in online financial systems.
His work is crucial in addressing vulnerabilities that could be exploited by adversaries.
Amid these challenges, Tao reported some success in attracting short-term funding through private donations, with about $100,000 already raised.
Nonetheless, he emphasized the constant need for support to keep their research operations running.
Rafael Jaime, president of United Auto Workers Local 4811, which represents a substantial number of academic workers at UCLA, voiced uncertainty about potential pay disruptions.
“As of now, I’m not aware of anyone who hasn’t been paid, but the situation could escalate by the end of the month,” Jaime warned.
He urged the University of California system to prioritize the well-being of its workers as the crisis unfolds.
The uncertainty surrounding funding and future projects is a major concern for many academics.
Anxiety reached a peak during a recent UCLA-wide Zoom call attended by approximately 3,000 faculty members, wherein many expressed their fears about the eventual outcome of the funding freeze.
UCLA administrators are exploring potential stopgap measures, including emergency “bridge” funding for researchers.
Some academics worry that the repercussions will lead to a brain drain, as students consider transferring to universities abroad for their graduate studies.
Di Carlo noted that students have recently inquired about programs in Switzerland and Tokyo, emphasizing a shifting perception of UCLA as a place for academic growth.
The researchers’ most pressing concern remains the continuity of their work.
Campbell, who has a personal connection to pancreatic cancer, expressed her deep disappointment at the potential interruption of research vital to families affected by the disease.
“The idea that existing research might come to a halt is devastating for me and countless others who rely on this work to bring hope to patients and their families,” Campbell emphasized.
Her passion for research highlights the profound impact that the current funding situation may have—not just on individual academics but on broader public health outcomes as well.
image source from：latimes
