ROCKVILLE, MD – The Biophysical Society, on behalf of its members in the U.S. and around the world, is alarmed by the ongoing reductions in force (RIFs) and how those reductions will impact the ability of federal research funding agencies to support the missions outlined by Congress. For decades the U.S. has been a world leader in critical and emerging technologies; which has attracted the best and brightest around the world to matriculate and engage in new discoveries, develop critical technologies and advance scientific research. The utilization of RIF initiatives to roll back the federal workforce threatens to have a chilling effect on development of future basic and biomedical researchers, and also jeopardizes the scientific, technological  and economic advancements that have made the U.S. a global leader in scientific enterprise.

While change is always challenging in any industry or endeavor, within the realm of scientific research abrupt starts and stops that come from pauses in funding, loss of program directors and general uncertainty as to whether funding will be awarded or continued will have far-reaching consequences. Throughout the years, Congress and the scientific community have worked collaboratively toward providing stable, predictable funding for basic and biomedical research.

The Biophysical Society stands ready to work with Congress and the Administration to engage in the goal of reducing federal waste, without sacrificing the robust federal investment in science that has made the U.S. a global leader and yielded tremendous benefits for our national security and economic prosperity. Maintaining these benefits requires continued investment in intramural and extramural research to enable the missions of federal science agencies.

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The Biophysical Society, founded in 1958, is a professional, scientific Society established to lead the development and dissemination of knowledge in biophysics. The Society promotes growth in this expanding field through its meetings, publications, and committee and outreach activities. Its 7,000 members are located throughout the United States and the world, where they teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, laboratories, government agencies, and industry.