NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Though a federal judge has temporarily blocked a plan by President Donald Trump to cap funding for research institutions, one Vanderbilt University professor is still concerned about the proposal.
Assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Dr. Stephanie Wankowicz said the proposed federal funding change by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) would affect her lab’s research. Wankowicz is a part of Vanderbilt University’s Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Department, which helps develop life-saving drugs for people diagnosed with cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.
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“This [proposed funding change] is going to immediately impact the timeline for us to be able to get life-saving drugs into people’s hands,” Wankowicz told News 2.
According to the NIH’s list of awards by organization, Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center have 124 funded projects funded by the NIH in fiscal year 2025.
“At the end of the day, [NIH funding] is an essential part of us being able to do this biomedical research to be able to improve the lives of the American people,” Wankowicz added.
In a post on X, Elon Musk, who spearheads the Department of Government Effeciency (DOGE) called award money for overhead expenses at universities with large endowments “a ripoff.” According to Wankowicz, the funding helps covers expenses like water, electricity and maintenance, which are expensive and critical for lab safety.
Trump’s plan would have capped funding for indirect costs at 15% at research institutions, which the White House claimed would save the federal government $4 billion each year.
“All of us are going to have this really unfortunate time where we are going to be sick or someone who we love is going to be sick, and investing in biomedical research really is our best bet at making sure that they can get better,” Wankowicz explained.
News 2 reached out to Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) for comment, but as of publication, there has been no response.
