CORRECTION APPENDED

Despite hailing President Barack Obama’s move to lift restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, scientists at Harvard note a potential negative impact of the decision: a decrease in philanthropic and state support for their projects.

Obama’s reversal of George W. Bush’s 2001 restriction, combined with the recent federal economic stimulus package, means that stem cell researchers nationwide could now be eligible for an unprecedented $10.4 billion from the National Institutes of Health, the primary federal agency for biomedical research funding.

But with the increased flow of federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research, scientists say they are concerned that philanthropists and state governments could respond by cutting their own support, especially during the present economic crisis.

M. William Lensch, Harvard Medical School professor and researcher at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, said that it is  “definitely possible” that some philanthropists could pull back on funding after seeing the federal government expand its spending. [SEE CORRECTION BELOW]

“Some people gave support because they saw a need where the federal government wasn’t stepping up,” Lensch said. “Those people might not feel the need to give now.”

Ann A. Kiessling, director of the Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation in Bedford, Mass., and an associate professor at the Medical School, expressed a similar sentiment.

“We’re definitely worried about it,” she said, though she noted that donations were not only affected by the relaxation of federal funding restrictions, but also by the general economic climate.

“Everyone’s investment accounts and ability to contribute is greatly reduced,” Kiessling said. “Philanthropists just have less resources than they had in the past.”

In addition, with many states facing massive budget deficits, some fear that Obama’s decision may prompt states with stem cell funding programs already in place—such as California, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York—to cut back on their support. In New Jersey, for instance, $34 million for stem-cell research has already been cut from this year’s state budget.

In 2007, Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick ’78 announced a 10-year, $1 billion life sciences initiative. But because no funds are specifically earmarked for stem cell funding, state officials said that the lifting of federal restrictions would have an unclear effect.

State Representative Alice K. Wolf said that she did not anticipate that the state would reduce science research funding.

“But anything can happen in this economic environment,” Wolf said, adding that the state’s $1.1 billion budget deficit is expanding. “Everything is up for grabs because we have such a serious condition.”

But many philanthropists said that they did not plan to reduce their gifts as a result of Obama’s decision, citing the need for as many funds as possible for stem cell research.

Tara Duplaga, a representative for Millipore Foundation—a Massachusetts-based organization that supports the Harvard Stem Cell Institute as well as other researchers—said that there were no plans to reduce grants for scientists.

CORRECTION

The Mar. 12 news article "Bio-Research Funding May Drop" incorrectly identified M. William Lensch as a professor at Harvard Medical School. In fact, he is an instructor in pediatrics at the Medical School.
“Stem cell research is only beginning, and there’s a long way to go,” she said. “It’s a crucial initiative that we fully support and will continue to support.”

—Staff writer Liyun Jin can be reached at ljin@fas.harvard.edu.