Vedant was drawn to study in the United States for the opportunities promised in the biomedical industry. Now, as a recent graduate hoping to build a career in cancer research, he worries about what we could lose.
With advances in AI and other technologies, we have an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate cancer research and improve millions of lives. Now is the time to strengthen, not weaken, our commitment to funding work that can lead to new discoveries.
Vedant graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology with honors. He spent his undergraduate experience interning in local research labs and as co-president of the Cancer Awareness Club. His current work as a research specialist at a lab in South Dakota has not, at this point, been impacted by recent funding cuts.
As someone applying to graduate programs, however, he is deeply concerned about the long-term impact of these cuts. “Slashed budgets may limit the number of labs able to take on graduate students,” he shared. “Also, it may constrain the resources needed to complete a 5–6 year program, especially funding that provides a stipend that supports graduate students during their Ph.D. program. The current cuts might create an environment where research slows down.”