As the Trump administration’s plans for the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) continue to evolve, uncertainty surrounds the NIH budget for the upcoming fiscal year, with much speculation about its future. This uncertainty was brought into focus by radiologists and researchers who visited Capitol Hill during this year’s Hill Day and #MedTech25 events, organized by the Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research. Members of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and early-career investigators joined forces to bring attention to their work and the ongoing need for funding, particularly in the face of possible budget cuts.
Dr. Amir Imanzadeh, a diagnostic radiologist at the University of California, Irvine, emphasized the critical importance of continued NIH funding, not only for patient care but for societal progress as a whole. “Many of today’s widely used imaging modalities and treatments, such as photon-counting CT, PSMA PET/CT, and 3-tesla MRI, are the direct result of past NIH-funded research,” Dr. Imanzadeh shared in an email to AuntMinnie.com. During their Capitol Hill visit, the researchers presented funding projections for the next fiscal year, proposing $51.3 billion for NIH, $474 million for the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), and $4 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Their goal was to secure congressional support for these critical research funds.
However, recent policy changes have significantly affected institutions at various levels. Dr. Imanzadeh noted that many research centers are dealing with consequences such as hiring freezes, delays in issuing awards, and halted grant reviews. These disruptions have raised concerns about the future of research and the sustainability of ongoing projects. “At this time, there is no certainty regarding the NIH budget for the next fiscal year, and much remains speculative,” Dr. Imanzadeh added.
Dr. Mitchell Schnall, senior vice president for data and technology solutions at the University of Pennsylvania, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of federal funding for basic research, which often supports the development of new technologies with longer timelines than those typically pursued by industry. “Federal funding is critical for high-risk projects and long-term research,” he said. Schnall also expressed concerns about the future of NIH funding, citing the impact of recent executive orders on indirect funding and urging policymakers to collaborate with the research community to find solutions.
In a March 25 update, NIH announced that grants and funding policies were evolving as the agency aligns with new priorities. Some funding opportunities are on hold, and others have been closed or updated. These changes have added to the uncertainty surrounding future funding availability.
Alzheimer’s disease research has also been impacted by shifting NIH priorities. While funding for some programs, such as the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, saw significant cuts in 2024, programs focused on Alzheimer’s and related dementias have seen increased funding. However, certain Alzheimer’s disease research centers have experienced disruptions, including funding interruptions, which were discussed during a Senate forum on March 26.
Dr. Sterling Johnson, a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, highlighted the importance of longitudinal studies in Alzheimer’s research, noting that the disease begins years or even decades before the onset of memory loss. “Alzheimer’s disease research has made game-changing advances,” Johnson said, emphasizing that NIH’s support for long-term studies has been pivotal in launching major prevention trials.
In conclusion, while NIH funding remains uncertain, the medical imaging and Alzheimer’s research communities continue to advocate for sustained support to ensure the advancement of critical innovations and discoveries that benefit public health.