Research

Federal Judge Halts NIH Plan to Cap Research Funding, Citing Potential Loss of Lives and Scientific Progress

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Boston, MA — A federal judge in Massachusetts has halted the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) controversial plan to slash the reimbursement for indirect costs on grants, which institutions argued could decimate vital scientific research and lead to significant job losses. The cap was set to reduce these reimbursements to only 15 percent of direct research costs, a sharp decline from the current average of 28 percent. These indirect costs, crucial for labs and facilities maintenance, among others, are fundamental to the daily operational needs of research. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Angel … Read more

Trump Administration Halts NIH Funding Reviews, Defying Court Orders and Stalling Critical Medical Research

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Washington, D.C. – In a controversial move, the Trump administration has suspended an essential component of the research funding mechanism overseen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), putting a significant amount of scientific work on hold. This action seems to directly contradict a federal court’s temporary restraining order, which was set to prevent any freezes on federal funding. The NIH’s routine process involves holding study sections, where scientists review grant proposals for researching various medical issues from cancer to aging. However, it was revealed that submissions for these reviews to the Federal Register have … Read more

Universities Rally Against NIH Funding Cuts, Warning of Severe Impact on Critical Health Research

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In a significant move reflecting the concerns of the academic community, Rice University, along with nearly 70 other leading institutions, has voiced support for a legal challenge against proposed funding cuts by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The contentious policy cuts could slash billions from indirect costs essential for the ongoing maintenance of research infrastructure. The lawsuit arose after a memo released by the NIH on February 7, which drastically proposed capping the institutional indirect cost rate at 15%, a stark reduction from Rice’s current rate of 56%. This proposal, according to Rice President … Read more

Groundbreaking Jury System Research Wins Prestigious Civil Justice Scholarship Award for Law Professor Valerie P. Hans and Team

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Cornell University law professor Valerie P. Hans, along with two distinguished colleagues, received the prestigious 2025 Civil Justice Scholarship Award from the National Civil Justice Institute. This recognition is awarded for influential scholarly work in the realm of civil justice. Hans is honored alongside Professor Richard Jolly of Southwestern Law School and attorney Robert Peck from the Center for Constitutional Law. The trio’s winning article, “Democratic Renewal and the Civil Jury,” published in the Georgia Law Review, examines the pivotal role of the civil jury in enhancing civic engagement and upholding democratic values in contemporary … Read more