UNM to continue research amid lawsuits against NIH cuts

The University of New Mexico said Tuesday it is not stopping its research after a federal judge’s ruling on Monday to halt the Trump administration’s plan to limit funding for overhead costs associated with research projects nationwide.

James Paul Holloway, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at UNM, gave the university’s stance on the developments in response to Massachusetts U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley issuing a temporary restraining order Monday stopping the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from implementing their plan, which critics argue would have ground university research to a halt.

“We’re continuing to do research because it’s incredibly important; it matters to our state, faculty, staff and students,” Holloway told the Journal.

The judge’s ruling came following a lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and 21 other attorneys general seeking to block the NIH plan to limit funding for overhead costs associated with research projects, including a 15% cap on indirect costs for research grants.

‘We have time’

The NIH’s announcement Feb. 7 took UNM officials by surprise, Holloway said.

“It would have been better for the health of New Mexico if the NIH had not taken that step,” he said.

Holloway said UNM is aware of the judge’s order, and the institution is still trying to understand what it means for them.

“The important thing for us is that we know we have time to understand the implications of this change,” Holloway said. “We don’t need to make a precipitous decision, and so that’s the way we’re proceeding.”

Indirect costs

The NIH’s cap pertained to so-called “indirect costs” of paying for facilities and administration related to research grants, according to the agency’s guidance on its website.

Holloway said indirect costs are part of the costs of doing research, keeping labs maintained and providing electricity; funding the accountants who make sure grants are spent properly; and providing supports for institutional review boards, which make sure science is being conducted ethically.

“I like to say it’s the non-glamorous part (of research),” Holloway said.

Out of the over $100 million a year UNM receives in NIH funding, $20 million is devoted to indirect costs, which cannot be easily replaced, according to Holloway.

“We work on a reimbursement basis, and so that $20 million in lost funding will accumulate over time,” Holloway said, “so we know we have time to figure out what is the best thing to do.”

‘Very concerned’

The NIH funds UNM receives each year have continued to grow, according to Holloway, thanks to stepped-up efforts by the university to secure grants.

The funds help pay for numerous research projects, including the university’s internationally known efforts to treat substance abuse disorders.

“That research helps support the health and success of New Mexicans,” Holloway said.

The funds also help UNM pay for potential doctoral fellows and students to assist in research, he said.

Holloway added that since the NIH’s announcement, his office has fielded inquiries from UNM faculty and staff, who are “very concerned about these changes.” UNM has made an effort to communicate with constituents, including a website allowing them to track federal funding updates.

As far as what’s ahead in terms of the legal challenges on indirect expenses, Holloway said he remains an optimist.

“These agencies (like the NIH and the National Science Foundation) have always received bipartisan support from Congress,” he said. “I’m absolutely convinced that scientific research will continue in the U.S.”