University of Washington Medical Research Faces Significant Funding Cuts and Increased Political Oversight from Trump Administration
The University of Washington (UW) is experiencing substantial reductions in federal funding for medical research, coupled with new administrative policies from the Trump administration that introduce political oversight into grant reviews. According to Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert, UW Medicine’s executive vice dean for Research and Graduate Education, federal funding at UW Medicine decreased by almost 20% from July 2025 to June 2026. The University of Washington, which receives more federal support than any other public institution in the country, saw nearly $1.4 billion in federal funding in 2025, accounting for about 80% of its total research funding. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has cancelled 117 grants totaling over $264 million, impacting 63 research projects, 17 research centers, 16 training programs, and 20 early-career awards. Dr. Sebastian Tong, an associate professor at UW School of Medicine, had his $2.5 million grant for addiction treatment research terminated due to these ch... 
