Biophysical Society Bulletin | September 2025

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Applications Are Open for the Biophysical Society 2025–2026 Congressional Fellowship Interested in using your science skills to inform science policy? Does spending a year working on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, helping develop policy sound exciting? The Biophysical Society’s Congressional Fellowship program (www.biophysics. org/policy-advocacy/congressional-fellowship) is your opportunity to participate directly in the process of lawmaking that impacts how research is funded and regulated. This year-long opportunity provides Fellows a chance to utilize their science knowledge to inform the public policy process. Fellows will gain firsthand knowledge and experience on how Congress works and participate in the esteemed AAAS Science and Technology Fellows program that provides ongoing training and networking opportunities during the fellowship year and beyond. Visit www.biophysics.org/policy-advocacy/congressio nal-fellowship for more details about the program or contact Leann Fox at fellows@biophysics.org or (240) 290-5606. The application deadline is December 12, 2025.

US Congress and White House Continue Tug of War over NIH When the President’s Budget Request was released in May, it sent major shockwaves through the scientific community, with budgets being slashed for federal research funding at every agency. Thus far, however, the House of Represen tatives has pushed back on those cuts to a degree with the National Science Foundation (NSF) being given a proposed budget of $7.0 billion for fiscal year 2026 (FY26) and the De partment of Energy (DOE) Office of Science getting a modest increase for a proposed budget of $8.4 billion. They have yet to act on funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), pushing that work off until their return from recess. Before leaving for the August recess period, the Senate completed work on spending bills for both the NIH, proposing a modest increase to $48.7 billion, and NSF, proposing a slight cut of $60.0 million for a total funding package of $9.0 billion; work on a DOE proposal has yet to be finalized. While the work by the Senate presents a considerable boost to scientific morale, very little time remains for both cham bers to complete work on all 12 appropriations bills and reach consensus on the gap in proposed spending.

NIH Shift in Forward Funding Grants Reduces Researcher Chances of Awards The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been rolling out its new policy of funding multi-year grants with an up-front lump sum payout, being referred to as “forward funding.” The policy thus far applies only to new awards but will be applied across the board in the future. While research agencies routinely “forward fund” grants, the approach has pros and cons, NIH policy experts say. Because less of an agency’s budget is tied up with outyear grant pay ments, it can adjust better to funding swings or new research directions. The approach can also make it easier to spend an unexpected pot of funding quickly, but it sacrifices oversight by the agency. Researchers worry that forward funding, combined with the slowed outlay of research funds this year, will significantly reduce the odds of a proposal being approved. The National Cancer Institute has already seen a sharp drop in the number of grants funded, from 1 out of every 10 to 1 in 25. NIH has already started the switch, however. Since June, it has been requiring institutes to fund half of the remaining awards in this fiscal year as multiyear awards. One hundred percent of research grants will be forward funded by fiscal year 2027.

Calling all undergrads! Applications for the Undergraduate Poster Award Competition are being accepted through January 6, 2026. Winners will be honored at the BPS Awards Ceremony. Don’t miss out! For more information, go to www.biophysics.org/2026meeting/awards-competitions/poster-competitions.

September 2025

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