News
NIH Grant terminations disproportionately impact minority scientists, research finds
Women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ scientists were hit hardest by NIH grant terminations, a survey of nearly 1,000 US researchers has found.
The study surveyed 941 investigators whose National Institutes of Health grants were terminated in 2025, and suggests the policy changes may deepen existing disparities in the US biomedical research workforce.
Between January and May 2025, the National Institutes of Health terminated more than 2,000 research grants after shifting agency priorities.
Many of the affected grants focused on health disparities, including research related to BIPOC communities and sexual and gender minorities. I
n addition, about 600 grants were cancelled through institution-wide actions aimed at addressing alleged campus antisemitism.
The research, conducted by the University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, found that researchers from marginalised groups were both overrepresented among those whose grants were cancelled and more likely to have their work specifically targeted for termination.
Rebecca Fielding-Miller is associate professor at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and senior author of the study.
She said: “These grant terminations didn’t just disrupt specific research projects, they also disrupted the careers of many scientists who study the health of marginalised communities.
“When funding for these topics disappears, the researchers with the deepest expertise in them are often the ones most directly affected.”
The National Institutes of Health is the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research, investing roughly US$47bn annually.
Because of the scale of this investment, US research priorities help shape the direction of health science innovations globally.
To understand who was most affected, the team surveyed investigators whose terminated grants were documented in the Grant Witness database.
Of 1,918 investigators invited to participate, 941 completed the survey.
In order to categorise terminations by justification, investigators were asked to select from eight possible reasons for the termination.
For example, participants were considered to have received an equity-related termination if they indicated their grant was terminated due to “amorphous equity objectives”, and a gender-related termination if they indicated their grant was terminated due to “gender identity”.
The analysis found that nearly half, 48.6 per cent, of investigators whose grants were terminated for equity-related reasons identified as BIPOC.
Among grants terminated for gender-related reasons, 60 per cent of investigators identified as sexual or gender minorities, including 16.5 per cent who were transgender or nonbinary.
Disparities extended beyond simple representation. Among investigators whose grants were terminated, BIPOC women and transgender or nonbinary researchers had nearly three times higher odds of receiving an equity-related termination than White men.
Sexual and gender minority investigators were more than 11 times more likely to receive a gender-related termination than heterosexual, cisgender researchers.
The study also found that 20.5 per cent of investigators affected by institution-wide terminations tied to alleged antisemitism identified as Jewish, raising questions about the effectiveness of those actions as a mechanism to protect Jewish researchers.
The findings build on earlier research showing that disparities already exist in the biomedical funding system.
Previous studies have found that scientists from underrepresented backgrounds are more likely to study health disparities or community-based topics that historically receive less funding.
“When funding disruptions disproportionately affect researchers who focus on health disparities, the consequences go far beyond individual careers,” Fielding-Miller said.
“They also shape which scientific questions get asked, and whose health ultimately receives attention.”
The authors warn that the effects could persist for years.
Because research careers and funding success tend to build cumulatively over time, losing even a single grant can derail projects, disrupt community partnerships and limit future funding opportunities, particularly for early-career investigators.
Looking ahead, the researchers say restoring and sustaining funding for equity-related health research will be critical to maintaining a diverse scientific workforce and ensuring that biomedical research reflects the needs of all communities.
“If we want a scientific enterprise that serves everyone,” Fielding-Miller said.
“We have to ensure that scientists studying the health of marginalised communities are able to continue their work.”
The Femtech World Awards is proud to reveal the shortlist for Research Project of the Year as part of the third annual global celebration of innovation, impact and leadership across women’s health.
From fertility science and perimenopause research to regional ecosystem analysis, the shortlisted projects reflect the breadth and growing influence of femtech research worldwide.
The category is sponsored by OncoGenomX, with the winner to be selected by a representative from the organisation.
OncoGenomX is dedicated to offering solutions and providing comprehensive support services that empower Drug Developers, Clinical Researchers, Oncologists,NextGenSeq Diagnostics Laboratories, NextGenSeq Service Organisations, Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Companies to achieve their ambitious goals
The shortlisted entries for Research Project of the Year are:
Women’s health remains significantly underserved in South-East Asia, with persistent gaps in access, awareness, and quality of care carrying substantial social and economic costs.
This report examines the femtech landscape in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, highlighting market trends, emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, and the evolving support ecosystem.
It identifies key challenges facing femtech founders, including limited access to finance, low awareness and persistent stigma, marketing constraints linked to content moderation, and gaps in tailored ecosystem support.
Led by Stephanie Willson, MD, of the IVI RMA Global Research Alliance, the study explored whether embryos that show certain chromosome abnormalities during genetic testing may still have the potential to result in a healthy pregnancy and live birth.
The research analysed more than 7,600 frozen embryo transfers and found that some embryos previously considered unlikely to succeed were still capable of leading to successful pregnancies, although at lower rates than embryos without abnormalities.
The findings could help fertility clinics and patients make more informed decisions during IVF treatment, particularly in cases where there are limited embryos available.
Rather than automatically discarding these embryos, the research supports a more evidence-based and personalised approach to fertility care.
For many women, perimenopause can feel confusing and unpredictable, with limited research explaining what is happening in their bodies.
Natural Cycles set out to change that by leading one of the largest studies ever conducted on menstrual and ovulatory patterns, uncovering new insights into how ovulation behaves as women approach menopause.
Conducted in collaboration with researchers from George Washington University, Seattle Clinical Research Center, Gennev and the University of California San Diego, the study analysed nearly one million menstrual cycles from more than 197,000 women aged 18–52 across more than 140 countries.
The scale of this dataset made it possible to explore menstrual patterns and ovulation in far greater detail than has traditionally been possible in women’s health research.
The Femtech World Awards celebrates the innovators, researchers and organisations driving meaningful progress in women’s health.
What happens next
Winners across all categories will be revealed during the virtual ceremony on June 19, with winners receiving a trophy and an interview with a Femtech World journalist.
Women over 40 are seeking raves for mental and physical wellbeing, with a study suggesting the benefits go beyond nightlife.
The findings challenge the idea that nightlife and electronic dance music events are mainly for younger people.
Published in Psychology of Music, the study focused on the common misconception that nightlife is only for younger audiences.
Researchers surveyed 136 female clubbers aged 40 to 65 about their experiences at electronic dance music events.
The study, carried out at the University of Leeds in England, found women reported mental and physical wellbeing benefits from attending these events.
Seeing favourite DJs was the most common motivation, but many women also described dancing as a way to relieve stress and find emotional support.
The research found that 65.9 per cent of participants described attending a rave as “spiritual”, while 62.9 per cent said it offered an escape from everyday life.
A further 58.3 per cent said they felt like a different version of themselves in a club environment.
Nine in ten participants said they felt at home at electronic dance music events, with many pointing to a shared passion for music and the sense of community around it.
The study also suggested physical fitness played a role, with some women saying they had made clubbing part of their regular exercise routine.
However, the findings also highlighted challenges for older women in nightlife spaces.
One fifth of participants said they felt visibly out of place because of their age.
Nearly half reported unwanted physical contact, leading some to seek out different venues or attend only with friends.
Osteoporosis may raise the risk of death in postmenopausal women by up to 47 per cent, a new study suggests.
The findings point to an inverse relationship between femoral bone mineral density and mortality risk, especially within certain ranges.
Femoral bone mineral density is the amount of mineral in the thigh bone, which is often measured to assess bone strength and osteoporosis risk.
Dr Monica Christmas is associate medical director for The Menopause Society.
She said: “Osteoporosis often remains a silent threat after menopause, despite its profound effect on women’s lives—from loss of height, poor balance, and reduced mobility to disfigurement, pain, and even premature death.
“Early screening and preventive measures, including a calcium-rich diet (preferably from food sources), regular weight-bearing exercise, and hormone therapy when appropriate, can significantly improve bone health and reduce risks not only of fractures but also cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and dementia.
“It’s time we bring this conversation to the forefront.”
In the study involving nearly 3,000 postmenopausal women, bone mineral density at four femoral sites was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, a scan commonly used to measure bone strength and fracture risk.
The analysis found that mortality risk was significantly higher when femoral bone mineral density reached the osteoporotic threshold or when osteoporotic fractures were present.
After full adjustment, osteoporosis was associated with a 47 per cent increased risk of mortality.
A stronger inverse association between increased bone mineral density and mortality risk was seen within specific ranges, suggesting bone mineral density could serve as a prognostic marker of wider health.
The relationship appeared especially notable within the range of 0.46 to 0.71 g/cm² for total femur bone mineral density.
Previous research has shown that postmenopausal women face a significantly higher risk of death within one year of hip or vertebral fractures.
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