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The Review of Economics and Statistics· 2026Q1

Scientific Talent Leaks Out of Funding Gaps

Wei Yang Tham, Joseph Staudt, Elisabeth Ruth Perlman, Stephanie Cheng

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.

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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