The Review of Economics and Statistics· 2026Q1
Scientific Talent Leaks Out of Funding Gaps
- 4citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A 30-day delay in NIH grant renewal increases non-employment by 40% (3pp) and decreases earnings by 20% among affected lab personnel, particularly trainees.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Delays of at least 30 days in NIH grant renewals increase non-employment among affected personnel by 3 percentage points (40%).
- Researchers experiencing funding gaps see their earnings decrease by 20% if they remain employed in the US.
- Trainees are disproportionately affected by these funding interruptions, altering their career trajectories.
- The study links NIH grant records with university payroll, tax, Census, and publication data to track personnel outcomes.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Federal research funding is a key input into scientific work, but funding streams can be disrupted. We study how delays in renewed NIH research grants affect lab personnel’s careers, linking grant records to university payroll, tax, Census, and publication data. Using a difference-in-differences design, we find that interruptions of at least 30 days increase nonemployment among personnel in labs supported by a single NIH R01 grant by 3 percentage points, or 40%. Among those who remain employed in the US, earnings decrease by 20%. The results show that short funding gaps can alter career trajectories, especially for trainees.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine