NIH freeze hobbles Harvard breast cancer lab
Harvard Medical School researcher Joan Brugge says her NCI-funded breast cancer lab lost 7 of 18 staff after the NIH froze Harvard grants in April over campus antisemitism concerns, then restored funding in September. The administration barred Harvard researchers from applying for new multiyear NIH grants; a federal judge lifted that ban, but Brugge missed the renewal deadline, meaning her current $7 million, seven-year grant will end and work to target early 'seed' cells in breast tissue has slowed.
📌 Key Facts
- NIH/NCI seven-year, $7 million breast cancer grant was frozen in April and restored in September 2025
- Harvard researchers were barred from applying for new NIH grants until a federal judge lifted the ban
- Brugge’s lab lost 7 of 18 employees and missed the renewal deadline, risking a funding lapse
📊 Relevant Data
Non-Hispanic Black women in the US have a 38% higher breast cancer mortality rate than non-Hispanic White women, despite a 5% lower incidence rate.
Breast Cancer Facts and Statistics 2025 — BreastCancer.org
Breast cancer incidence rates per 100,000 women are 139.3 for non-Hispanic White, 132.1 for non-Hispanic Black, 107.9 for Hispanic, 112.9 for American Indian/Alaska Native, and 111.3 for Asian/Pacific Islander.
Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025 — American Cancer Society
Jewish students constitute approximately 7.1% of Harvard University's undergraduate enrollment, while Jews make up about 2.4% of the US population.
Harvard University — Hillel International
In 2024, Harvard University experienced an unlawful antisemitic encampment in Harvard Yard involving 68 students, resulting in minimal disciplinary actions such as probations that were later shortened, with no suspensions for antisemitism-related conduct.
Antisemitism on College Campuses Exposed — Committee on Education & the Workforce