Nobel Laureate Defends U.S. Public Research Funding Amid Cut Fears

American Mary E. Brunkow, co-recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine, stressed Tuesday the critical role of public funding in scientific research, amid concerns that recent budget cuts under Donald Trump might weaken the U.S. position as a research leader.

“Federal funding has been incredibly important for promoting and supporting science,” Brunkow said in a press conference following the announcement of her prize.

Brunkow was awarded the Nobel Prize along with her compatriot Fred Ramsdell and Japanese researcher Shimon Sakaguchi, in recognition of their work on how the body regulates the immune system so it does not attack itself.

The announcement arrives against the backdrop of deep cuts in U.S. research spending proposed by the Trump administration, which have fueled fears that American scientific dominance could decline.