As a Diversity Grant Dies, Young Scientists Fear It Will Haunt Their Careers

Tags: NIH, MOSAIC Grant, scientific research, diversity in STEM, DEI programs, federal funding cuts, early-career scientists

A Dream Interrupted

Adelaide Tovar, a geneticist at the University of Michigan, once felt like she didn’t belong in science. Growing up in poverty and becoming the first in her family to graduate high school, she struggled through her early college years. But after years of perseverance, she found validation when she was awarded a prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to support her diabetes research and pave the way toward launching her own lab. That dream is now in jeopardy.

Tovar is one of nearly 200 scientists affected by the abrupt termination of the NIH’s MOSAIC (Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers) grant program. Originally created to promote diversity in biomedical research, the program has been dismantled amid sweeping federal cuts targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Fear of Backlash

Many of the MOSAIC awardees now worry the grant, meant to boost their careers, may become a liability. Erica Rodriguez, a brain researcher at Columbia University, voiced concern that the very award that recognized her potential may now carry a stigma.

“We might end up blacklisted by the NIH because of having this award — for who we are,” Rodriguez said, noting that the grant was tied not only to underrepresented backgrounds but to advocacy for inclusion in science.

The Purpose of MOSAIC

Launched in 2019, the MOSAIC grant aimed to improve diversity among academic researchers by supporting postdoctoral scientists from underrepresented backgrounds. The five-year award included salary support and later funding to help researchers establish independent labs. The program considered a broad definition of diversity, encompassing socioeconomic background, first-generation college students, and geographic disadvantage.

The grant helped fund research into critical areas such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, overdose treatment, stroke recovery, and other chronic conditions.

Political Influence and Fallout

In recent weeks, most MOSAIC recipients were notified that the program was terminated and their funding would end by summer, regardless of how much time remained. Others learned informally through colleagues, with no official word from the NIH.

The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the defunding, citing a shift in priorities and a directive to eliminate “ideologically driven DEI initiatives.” Executive orders from the Trump administration have mandated the elimination of diversity programs, referring to them as wasteful and politically motivated.

The NIH has gone so far as to ban grant eligibility for institutions that maintain DEI programs and threatened to recover funds from those that do not comply.

The Human Cost

Tovar’s work focuses on identifying genetic factors that increase diabetes risk — research with the potential to improve treatment options for millions. The loss of funding not only endangers her work but also her future career path.

Ashley Albright, a UCSF scientist studying regenerative organisms, said MOSAIC gave her hope of mentoring others from similar backgrounds. “I feel like someone is stepping on half of my life,” she said. “This was my chance to not only do science but also create opportunities for others.”

At Harvard, Hannah Grunwald echoed similar concerns. She worries her association with a now-defunded diversity program might deter future employers in a politically charged environment. “There’s been a huge debate about what we should even put on our résumés,” she said.

A Blow to the Future of Science

Scientific organizations have denounced the termination of MOSAIC. Mary Munson of the American Society for Cell Biology, who has mentored awardees, expressed heartbreak over the situation. “Taking this grant away does not take away the fact that they are amazing scientists,” she said.

Stefano Bertuzzi, CEO of the American Society for Microbiology, warned that politically motivated cuts to science funding could have a long-term chilling effect. A longtime advocate for U.S. research excellence, Bertuzzi emphasized that scientists will be reluctant to stay in or move to a country where research support can disappear overnight.

Despite the uncertainty, MOSAIC recipients remain committed to their fields — but many now fear their scientific futures have been derailed by a battle far beyond the lab.