UMass Chan Medical School Chancellor Dr. Michael Collins says uncertainty around federal research funding is threatening both scientific progress and the Massachusetts economy.
In an interview on Sept. 28 with WBZ’s “Keller at Large,” Collins described the present challenge at hand of managing uncertainty, as the current state of funding has raised questions of dependability and predictability, disrupting the previous system where research grants were based on a system of merit.
Collins said the impacts of reduced federal support will extend well beyond the campus laboratories. Funding by the National Institutes of Health for research contributes roughly $2 billion each year to the economy of Massachusetts and supports thousands of jobs, he said.
Without bridge funding to sustain young researchers, Collins said the state risks losing a generation of scientists and that waiting too long to act could make recovery more difficult.
The chancellor also spoke about the human impact of research, especially in areas like cancer, rare diseases, and RNA breakthroughs.
“Almost every family in America is affected by cancer. Research brings hope to the human condition, and without hope, how do you get out of bed?” Collins said in the interview.
He identified how medicines and vaccines that patients can now access have started from research that was federally funded by the NIH.
Collins, who is retiring from UMass Chan Medical School as chancellor in July 2026, praised Gov. Maura Healey for recognizing the importance of Massachusetts’ eds and meds sector and proposing state funding to aid in the federal shortfalls.
As UMass Chan begins its search for his successor, Collins said sustainable funding in science is essential for both advancing public health and ensuring the state’s long-term economic strength.
Charlotte Powers is a fall editorial intern for the Worcester Business Journal. She is a junior at College of the Holy Cross and studies political science, with a minor in environmental studies.
