As leaders of United States companies positioned in the biomedical/health sciences landscape, we are well aware that our companies are but one component of an expansive and interconnected scientific ecosystem requiring federal, industry, and academic partnership.
Government funding of research and industry work in the life sciences plays a critical role in this ecosystem, creating a cycle of innovation and economic growth that improves the health and well-being of the nation’s citizens and helps to ensure that the United States leads in critical areas such as therapeutic development, advanced biomanufacturing, AI-informed technologies, and more.
Given the currently proposed cuts to federal funding for scientific research, including extensive cuts to the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation in the fiscal year 2026 budget, we believe it is imperative — and urgent — to articulate that federal funding for scientific research is essential to the sustainability of the biomedical industry, maintaining the United States’ technological edge, and crucial for this country’s ability to protect and strengthen our economic and national security.
Damaging reductions in research funding provided to academic and federal scientists will immediately hurt the biotechnology sector in six key ways:
1. Elimination of many graduate student training programs and postdoctoral research positions will reduce the pipeline of highly trained scientists we rely on to perform the work within our companies.
2. Cancellation of federal grants and contracts that directly support companies (e.g., small business grants, service contracts, technology development contracts) will reduce our ability to develop innovative products.
3. Elimination of numerous subcontracts to our companies to perform services required for research (e.g., development of assays for understanding, diagnosing, and treating disease; supply of specialized research equipment; clinical trial support; etc.) will delay the introduction of transformative innovations to the American public.
4. Delays in basic and clinical research advances that create a pipeline for research and development at our companies.
5. Diminished resources for new spinoff/startup companies emerging directly from academic research.
6. Reductions in purchase orders for research supplies, reagents, personal protective equipment, etc., required for conducting scientific research will decrease revenues and slow growth.
We together state that a reduction in federal research funding on the scale currently contemplated for fiscal year 2026 will have a catastrophic effect on the advancement of biomedical and biotechnology capabilities in the United States. Continued and robust federal funding of scientific research is required to preserve the health of the U.S. scientific ecosystem, allowing the U.S. to continue to lead the world in the advancement of scientific innovation, knowledge, and health.
The views expressed here are our own and not necessarily those of our companies.
Sincerely,
Cheri Ackerman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Concerto Biosciences
Srini Akkaraju, Managing General Partner, Samsara BioCapital
Anne Altmeyer, former Chief Executive Officer, TigaTx
Jodi Andrews, Chief Executive Officer, ProTrials Research, Inc.
Inger M. Arum, Co-chief Executive Officer and Founder, ProTrials Research, Inc.
Lyn Baranowski, Chief Executive Officer, Avalyn Pharma
Joel Barrish, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Conveyor Therapeutics
Kelly Beck, Chief Executive Officer, Trench Therapeutics, Inc.
David Beier, Managing Director, Bay City Capital
Paul Blavin, Co-founder and Vice Chair, Mercy BioAnalytics
Sarah Boyce, Chief Executive Officer, Avidity Bio
Gerry Brunk, Managing Director, Lumira Ventures
Amy Burroughs, Chief Executive Officer, Terns Pharmaceuticals
Onaiza Cadoret, Chief Executive Officer, Yemaya Inc.
Han Cao, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Dimension Genomics Inc.
Abraham Ceesay, Chief Executive Officer, Rapport Therapeutics
Jacob Chacko, Chief Executive Officer, ORIC Pharmaceuticals
James G. Christensen, President and Head of R&D, Terremoto Biosciences
Jung Choi, Chief Executive Officer, Alterome Therapeutics
Chip Clark, Chief Executive Officer, Vibrant Biomedicines
Jason Coloma, Chief Executive Officer, Maze Therapeutics
Grace E. Colón, Ph.D., Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Inaya Therapeutics
Emily Conley, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Renasant Bio
Ronald Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, enGene
Jim Corbett, Chief Executive Officer, Emulate
J. Jean Cui, President and Chief Executive Officer, BlossomHill Therapeutics, Inc.
Anik Debnath, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Tenza
Ros Deegan, Chief Executive Officer, OMass Therapeutics
Marijn E. Dekkers, Chair, Novalis LifeSciences
Todd Dickinson, Chief Executive Officer, Stellaromics
Deborah Dunsire, M.D., Chair, Neurvati Neurosciences
Corinne Epperly, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Operating Officer, Caravan Biologix
Parisa Faghihi, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Seaside Bio, Inc.
Nima Farzan, Chief Executive Officer, Latigo Biotherapeutics
Tao Fu, President and Chief Executive Officer, Attovia Therapeutics
Jason T. Gammack, Chief Executive Officer, Ansa Biotechnologies, Inc.
Deborah Geraghty, Chief Executive Officer, Radiant Biotherapeutics
Julie Grant, Chief Executive Officer, Reactive Biosciences
Eric Green, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Trace Neuroscience
Sheila Gujrathi, Chief Executive Officer, Prana Therapies
Paul J. Hastings, Chief Executive Officer, Nkarta Inc., Rekha Hemrajani Biotech, board member, multiple companies
Christian Henry, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Biosciences of California
Kate Hermans, Board Chair/Chief Executive Officer, Glya Health
Pearl S. Huang, Chief Executive Officer and President, Dunad Tx
Abigail Jenkins, former President and Chief Executive Officer, Gamida Cell
Shengfang Jin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ensem Therapeutics
Anissa Kalinowski, Chief Executive Officer, Halo Biosciences, Inc.
Rosana Kapeller, President and Chief Executive Officer, ROME Therapeutics
Jeb Keiper, former Chief Executive Officer, Nimbus Therapeutics
Peter Keller, Chief Executive Officer, BlueWhale Bio Inc.
Vanessa E. King, Chief Executive Officer, King Bioventures
Peter Kolchinsky, Managing Partner, RA Capital Management
Adam M. Koppel, Partner, Bain Capital Life Sciences
Joanne Dove Kotz, former Chief Executive Officer, Jnana Therapeutics
Janice E. Kranz, Co-founder and ex-Chief Executive Officer, Eikonizo Therapeutics
Jane Lapon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atorvia Health Technologies Inc.
Curtis Layton, Chief Executive Officer, Protillion Biosciences
Jeremy M. Levin, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Ovid Therapeutics
Charlene Liao, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Inc.
Jonathan Lim, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Erasca
Ted W. Love, former Chief Executive Officer, Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT)
Mary Ludlam, Chief Executive Officer, Cairn Biosciences
Ivana Magovcevic-Liebisch, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vigil Neuroscience Inc.
John Maraganore, Ph.D., former founding Chief Executive Officer, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Joseph Massaro, Vice Chair, Aptiv
Lauren Mifflin, Chief Executive Officer, Counterakt Therapeutics
Jill C. Milne, President and Chief Executive Officer, Astria Therapeutics
Sandy Mong, M.D.
Jodie Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Q32
Nawal Ouzren, Chief Executive Officer, Sensorion Pharma
Gary W. Pace, Director, Cardiff Oncology
Kevin Parker, Chief Executive Officer, Cartography Biosciences
Rob Perez, Founder and Chair, Life Science Cares
Steven Potts, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, stealth stage cancer biotech
Sukanya Punthambaker, Chief Executive Officer, Breaking Inc.
Paula Ragan, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer X4 Pharmaceuticals
William Rastetter, Chair, Neurocrine, Fate and Daré
Wendye Robbins, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Incendia Therapeutics
Daisy Robinton, Co-founder, Oviva Therapeutics
Shawn Rose, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer and Head of R&D, Nkarta
Salvatore V. Russello, Chief Executive Officer, New England Biolabs
René Russo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Xilio Therapeutics
Catherine Sabatos-Peyton, Chief Executive Officer, Larkspur Biosciences, Inc.
John A. Scarlett, M.D., former Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Geron Corporation
Rachel Sha, Chief Executive Officer, Vaxess Technologies, Inc.
Laura Shawver, President and Chief Executive Officer, Capstan Therapeutics
Leslie S. Sloan, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, OmniNano Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Devyn Smith, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Arbor Biotechnologies
Erica Smith, Chief Executive Officer, EpiTET Therapeutics
Maria Soloveychik, Chief Executive Officer, SyntheX
Jay Srinivasan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Truvian Health
Shehnaaz Suliman, President and Chief Executive Officer ReCode Therapeutics
Peter A. Thompson, M.D., General Partner, OrbiMed Advisors
Tamar Thompson, Chair, Board of Directors, MassBio
Aetna Wun Trombley, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lycia Therapeutics
Samantha Truex, Chief Executive Officer, Oblenio Bio
Ramani Varanasi, Managing Director, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ReVive Advisors
Gregory L. Verdine, Managing General Partner, Lola Capital Partners
Dominique Verhelle, Ph.D., M.B.A., Chief Executive Officer, NextRNA Therapeutics
Amanda Wagner, Chief Executive Officer, Immunitas Therapeutics
Hong I. Wan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tallac Therapeutics
Frank Watanabe, President and Chief Executive Officer, Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Emma West, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Digital Biology, Inc.
Nancy Whiting, Chief Executive Officer, Recludix Pharma
Leslie Williams, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, formerly at HC Bioscience
Kate Yen, Chief Executive Officer, Auron Therapeutics
Angie You, Chief Executive Officer, Architect Therapeutics
Chen Yu, Managing Partner, TCGX
Daphne Zohar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Seaport Therapeutics
