US funding freeze triggers stop-work orders across Harvard research programs
A sweeping federal funding freeze announced by the Trump administration has led to immediate stop-work orders for numerous Harvard-affiliated research programs, disrupting contracts worth tens of millions of dollars. The administration’s decision to pause $2.2 billion in federally-funded research has had a rapid impact on projects tied to Harvard Medical School, the School of Public Health, and several associated hospitals and labs.
The funding pause, revealed on April 15, 2024, was followed within hours by formal stop-work notices delivered to researchers. These orders have halted critical studies, including those related to ALS, tuberculosis, and radiation countermeasures, affecting both the continuity of research and the livelihoods of dozens of academic staff and scientists.
Projects suspended across medical and public health fields
David R. Walt, a professor at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, received a stop-work order on a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services supporting research into ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The grant, valued at over $300,000 annually, was abruptly canceled. In a statement to The Harvard Crimson, Walt said the cancellation would delay essential progress and “could ultimately lead to poorer outcomes for the many patients who suffer from ALS.”
Walt further stated that a follow-up notice on April 16 clarified that the cancellation was effective immediately, and any appeal would have to come from the university. “I don’t know what the University plans to do at this point. Too early to know,” he told The Harvard Crimson.
Work on human organ chip technology also impacted
Donald E. Ingber, another Harvard Medical School professor, received stop-work orders on two contracts related to his work on human organ chip technology. This innovative research uses microfluidic devices lined with human cells to test treatments for Acute Radiation Syndrome and reduce the use of animal testing. According to The Harvard Crimson, one of the terminated contracts was worth over $15 million.
Ingber expressed concern in a written statement, saying he would be forced to halt research on radiation countermeasure drugs “directly relevant for the safety of our citizens, astronauts, and soldiers.” He added that losing the funding would affect the salaries of numerous students, postdoctoral fellows, and technical staff.
Global health research not spared
Sarah Fortune, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, also received a stop-work order related to her $60 million contract supporting tuberculosis research through an international collaboration. This development was first reported by the Boston Globe and confirmed by The Harvard Crimson. A spokesperson for the School of Public Health declined to comment.
Ongoing fallout and uncertainty
More than $110 million in NIH grants to Harvard-affiliated researchers have already been cancelled since February 2024. While earlier cancellations were tied to politically targeted topics like gender, COVID-19, and health disparities, the newly affected grants appear unrelated to those themes. The sudden and broad application of stop-work orders signals an escalating federal stance on research oversight, leaving many in the US education and science communities in uncertainty.
