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Researchers Challenge NIH Screening of Grants for Disfavored Viewpoints

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New lawsuit argues NIH violated First Amendment rights of grant applicants

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Researchers challenge NIH screening of grants for disfavored viewpoints

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Scientists challenge US NIH grant screening as unconstitutional

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Scientists Sue NIH Over Alleged Unconstitutional Grant Screening

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Scientists sue NIH over grant term screening  STAT News

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Researchers File First Amendment Challenge Nih Grant Screening

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Researchers sue National Institutes of Health over censorship claims

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Nih Actual Obligations In These Fiscal Years

Zoe Lofgren

Sean Duffy

Mark Clampin

Eric Nost

Jennifer Koss

Jeff Morisette

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Hampton Global Business Review

Mark Elrich

Northeastern University

"We're not shutting anything down at this point."

"GISS [the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies] as an independent entity will not continue."

"Proposed FY 2026 cuts could end support for nearly 40 active and planned NASA science missions — many of them Earth-focused."

President Donald Trump's budget request to Congress would "wipe out years of research that helps us understand greenhouse gas emissions, plant health, and the forces that are driving climate change."

"It [the proposed budget cut] would also stunt NASA's ability to study our own planet: Earth science funding would drop by 53%."

Will Budget Cuts Force NASA To Scale Back Earth Science Missions?

A group of scientists filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging the agency unconstitutionally screens research grants.

A group of scientists filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging the agency unconstitutionally screens research grants.

The suit names NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and DOGE as defendants. It is backed by the ACLU, the ACLU of Northern California, Protect Democracy, the Center for Science in the Public Interest and others.

The suit names NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and DOGE as defendants. It is backed by the ACLU, the ACLU of Northern California, Protect Democracy, the Center for Science in the Public Interest and others.

Plaintiffs say NIH uses a list of at least 235 keywords, including "gender," "Latinx" and "climate change," to flag grants for termination, denial or forced renegotiation. Researchers refusing to remove the terms risk losing funding.

Plaintiffs say NIH uses a list of at least 235 keywords, including "gender," "Latinx" and "climate change," to flag grants for termination, denial or forced renegotiation. Researchers refusing to remove the terms risk losing funding.

The case was brought by 17 researchers, 13 named and four anonymous. Because it is a class action, a ruling for the plaintiffs would extend to other researchers whose grants were affected by the term searches, according to the filing.

The case was brought by 17 researchers, 13 named and four anonymous. Because it is a class action, a ruling for the plaintiffs would extend to other researchers whose grants were affected by the term searches, according to the filing.

Stanford surgeon Arghavan Salles said her grant on sexual harassment in biomedical research was terminated as DEI-related. "Scientists should not have to scrub their research to receive federal funding," she said in a statement.

Stanford surgeon Arghavan Salles said her grant on sexual harassment in biomedical research was terminated as DEI-related. "Scientists should not have to scrub their research to receive federal funding," she said in a statement.

A federal court ruled in June 2025 that NIH's DEI-related terminations were unlawful, but the Supreme Court in August 2025 allowed $783 million in cuts. The complaint alleges First Amendment and Administrative Procedure Act violations.

A federal court ruled in June 2025 that NIH's DEI-related terminations were unlawful, but the Supreme Court in August 2025 allowed $783 million in cuts. The complaint alleges First Amendment and Administrative Procedure Act violations.

Scientists Challenge NIH Grant Screening

Scientists Challenge NIH Grant Screening

The Controversies

Clampin

Koss

Morisette

Elrich

University

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Scientists Challenge NIH Grant Screening

Scientists Challenge NIH Grant Screening

The Controversies

Clampin

Koss

Morisette

Elrich

University

Go Deeper

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