CUIMC Rallies on Capitol Hill for Research Funding
Members of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center community joined hundreds of advocates from across the nation in support of medical research on Sept. 19. The annual Rally for Medical Research began in 2013 in response to threatened cuts to the National Institutes of Health budget. CUIMC is a silver sponsor of the rally, and our investment sustains the efforts of medical research advocates.
This year’s rally began with a training session to equip newer attendees with the tools and confidence to champion this important cause. The rally also hosted a Congressional reception where U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli addressed participants.
The CUIMC contingent, which included Kate Kijinski, senior project portfolio manager at ICAP; Tenzin Trinley, project coordinator at the School of Nursing; and Ross Frommer, Vice President of Government Affairs, joined colleagues from across New York State and elsewhere to add their voices to the call for increased NIH funding. Jasmine Rename, a student from Teachers College; Nick Bulthuis, a psychology PhD student from Barnard College; and Sudiksha Singh, a health policy manager at Associated Medical Schools of New York and a Mailman School of Public Health class of 2022 alum, were also part of the New York delegation. Armed with personal stories about the impact of medical research on their careers and personal lives, the delegation met with members and staff of the New York congressional delegation to stress the importance of NIH funding.
"I learned so much through this program — about how government works, about the ways I can advocate for science, and about the impact that medical research has on the lives of patients,” Bulthuis said. “You can see a society’s values in what it chooses to fund, and I enjoyed sharing the value of a healthier future directly with the leaders who make those decisions.”
The challenge this year is especially daunting, highlighting the importance of advocacy. While the Senate would seek to increase NIH funding for FY 2025 by 4%, the House of Representatives has called for flat funding.
“It was truly a great experience to be part of the Columbia group,” Rename said. “As a first-generation Caribbean-American, it was amazing to meet so many people vouching for funding for medical research based on their personal anecdotes and passions for entering the medical field. I was proud of being heard and sharing my story as to why I rally for medical research.”
Congress has passed a continuing resolution and will resume deliberations on this and other important issues in November. CUIMC will continue to advocate for the largest possible amount of FY 2025 NIH funding.