Researchers across the school are constantly struggling to find sources of funding, administrators said.

“All of the researchers are spending a much higher percentage of their time writing grants in order to keep their work,” Casey said.

Constantly searching for funding has detracted from the ability to perform research, he added. And funding from outside sources may not be sufficient to replace NIH funding.

New sources of funds, such as from technology and pharmaceutical companies, have shifted the focus of scientific research. But Garber said that the new shift to applied sciences has left researchers concerned about basic research.

In addition to repercussions for faculty researchers, the decline in research funding has experts worried about students’ ability to pursue research.

“It’s an issue that we see at every level—it’s an issue for undergraduate students, it’s an issue for grad students, it’s an issue for postdocs,” Garber said.

While Garber also said that “we still do have a large number of incredibly talented students who decide to pursue careers in science,” experts worry that the daunting task of finding research funding is deterring young scientists from careers in research.

Despite competing priorities on Capitol Hill, Rockey said that she hopes that the importance of scientific research for public health and the economy will encourage “some sustained growth of the NIH budget in the future.”

—Staff writer Steven H. Tenzer can be reached at stenzer@college.harvard.edu.