On Friday, communities across the United States, including significant gatherings in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Palo Alto, rallied to advocate for the importance of scientific research. These events highlighted a crucial question: what would our lives be like without the advancements made possible through science?

Concerns Over Proposed Funding Cuts

The rallies took place against the backdrop of proposed cuts to federal funding by the Trump Administration, which aims to reduce financial support for critical medical research. This initiative has created apprehension about the future of various scientific programs that provide essential health advancements.

Tim Miguel, a professor of Economics at UC Berkeley, remarked, “Science isn’t just some abstract thing. It’s what makes us healthy, it’s what makes us rich, it’s what gives us technology – it gives us our iPhone. So, if we attack it, we’re really not going to live the same kind of lives we want to live and I think it’s really dangerous.”

The Impact on Medical Research

Reports indicate that the Trump administration is seeking to slash hundreds of millions of dollars in scientific research funding, posing a significant risk to ongoing studies in areas such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease.

Since January, these proposed budget cuts have threatened numerous grants and resulted in the dismissal of thousands of research employees, jeopardizing the stability of many ongoing projects and the lives they aim to improve. Carol Peyser, a Johns Hopkins University graduate, emphasized, “It’s not about politics. Nobody voted for this kind of devastating attack on our medical system and we have to stand up.”

Local Research and Its Significance

Bay Area institutions like Stanford and UC Berkeley are pivotal in conducting research that has life-saving implications. Residents expressed their concern about the potential consequences of reduced funding. San Mateo County’s Kathryn Strachota stated, “(Without it, it would be) very, very scary. Not just for my life, but everyone’s lives.”

Nicole Holliday, an organizer of Stand Up For Science SF and a breast cancer survivor, shared the personal impact of research: “The treatment that I had was developed in universities decades ago, research that was funded by the federal government. So, there’s nobody in America whose life hasn’t been positively changed by the research that our universities do.”

Legal Actions and Continuing Advocacy

A federal judge has currently issued a temporary block on the sweeping NIH funding cuts. Nonetheless, the community’s fight for science persists as they emphasize the ongoing need for research funding amidst political changes.