With recent policy changes and so much uncertainty surrounding U.S. federal funding, we’ve gathered voices from our community in this new blog series to share how students, postdocs, researchers, and industry leaders, and how their labs, research, and their livelihoods, have been and will continue to be affected by the latest policies.
The United States has long been a global leader in scientific research and innovation. Our federal agencies and academic institutions have driven scientific and medical breakthroughs, launched thriving biotech industries, and trained generations of world-class scientists. But today, that standing is at risk.
Shrinking federal investments in research and development (R&D), coupled with increasing administrative and political constraints, are driving top scientists—and their transformative work—out of the country. The consequences are immediate and felt on every level—personal and professional for scientists as well as on a local, national, and global scale for the scientific enterprise.
The tipping point of being left behind
In April 2025, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) reported that the U.S. is losing ground in R&D investment, scientific output, and global influence. Meanwhile, countries like China are rapidly scaling up. They’re investing more dollars, publishing more papers, and attracting more researchers because of an environment with fewer restrictions and greater support.
A U.S.–based researcher put it bluntly: “If we (my company) fund internationally, that would mean that another country would own the technology we create.”
This isn’t just about prestige. It’s about who gets to develop the future of healthcare, agriculture, energy, and biotechnology—and who gets left behind.
The long-feared “brain drain”: What we will lose
In recent months, faculty and students alike have faced difficult choices. A longtime genetics researcher was approached by multiple countries offering generous support—on the condition that he move his lab overseas.
“I have been asked to consider this for a country in Europe,” he said, “meanwhile, in my own field, researchers in China are publishing numerous important studies that show that their leaders are committed to making China the leader in biomedical research.”
Others see promising students squeezed out entirely. A professor at a large southern university noted how decreased funding leads to fewer lab openings: “My lab is empty as there are no funds to support research or hire personnel. The university’s umbrella program reduced the class size of incoming graduate students.” Another professor noted, “Our program will only enroll about one-third as many students as in the previous years,” which will lead to “a major crimp in the key pipeline for life science training. It ensures there will be fewer qualified scientists for crucial jobs in U.S. science, and not just in academia: programs like mine place many of their graduates in industry and government.”
This doesn’t just affect academia. Fewer trained scientists in graduate programs today means a thinner talent pipeline tomorrow. That shortage could undermine key industries that depend on highly-skilled researchers: pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, genetics-based agriculture, and more.
For early career scientists, the instability has a profound personal cost, and for the health of our nation the impact is indescribable. “The consequences are not theoretical,” said a graduate student at a large southern university. “They are borne by researchers whose projects stall or vanish, by patients whose treatments are delayed or never developed, and by students like me, who work tirelessly for opportunities that can be swept away at the stroke of a pen.”
A decline in healthcare at home and a loss of global influence
America’s disinvestment in R&D is already showing up in health outcomes and economic competitiveness. A recent Forbes article highlighted the risks to small businesses and startups that rely on federally funded discoveries to fuel their innovations. When science stalls, so does entrepreneurship.
This loss of scientific capacity doesn’t just delay healthcare at home; it also hands a competitive edge to countries that are willing to invest. Without action, the U.S. may soon find itself more dependent on foreign discoveries and technologies.
Trust in science, support our research
If the U.S. wants to remain a biomedical leader, it must recommit to research with sustained investment and support—that means funding science, protecting academic freedom, and ensuring that students and researchers see a future for themselves in American labs.
Science takes time. It takes stability. It takes trust. Without those, we risk more than just rankings—we risk our health, our economy, and our place in the world.
The Genetics Society of America is committed to giving a voice to our genetics community. We are steadfast in advocating for sustained federal investment in the research enterprise. We remain dedicated to protecting the integrity of science, promoting inclusive participation in research, and ensuring that genetics continues to drive innovation and progress. We urge you to continue to call your elected officials and share the impact of these government decisions. If you’re a student or researcher impacted by these issues and would be willing to share your experience anonymously, we’d like to hear from you. Your voice matters. Submit your story through this private form.
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