BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya visited the University of Alabama at Birmingham Thursday to share his vision to target chronic diseases as the head of the biomedical research agency.
One of the top-funded NIH institutions, UAB provided the backdrop for one of Bhattacharya’s first visits to a research institution since becoming director of the NIH in March. Since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, the agency has been the subject of budget cuts and grant cancellations.
“One of the main reasons why it’s so important that places like UAB exist… is that the research infrastructure of this country must reflect the people of this country,” Bhattacharya said to a group of about 250 UAB researchers, staff, and students. “The folks who work at UAB understand in a deep way the problems, the health problems and the health needs of the population of Alabama.”
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, who has been vocal about her support for NIH in the face of proposed cuts, invited him to tour the research facilities.
Alabama’s high rates of obesity, chronic disease and diabetes means it stands to benefit from the Make America Healthy Again movement, Bhattacharya said.
“It’s absolutely vital that the research mission of this country address the health needs of Alabama, because by doing so, we address the health needs of the entire country,” he said.
In Alabama, NIH funds 716 active research projects totaling $409 million, according to Thursday’s presentation. At UAB, there are 583 active projects totaling $340 million.
Bhattacharya spent much of his speech sharing his ideas for the NIH, focusing on treatment for HIV, autism, obesity, and other chronic conditions. He also touched on the need to cultivate early career talent, as young scientists have worried about entering the field in the wake of the White House’s cuts to the agency.
“We have essentially robbed the possibility for early career scientists to test their ideas out and we absolutely have to change that,” Bhattacharya said.
Britt then questioned Bhattacharya on stage about the future of NIH funding and awarding grants.
“It is my belief that we have to continue life-saving, life-changing research,” she said. “We have to be focused on finding cures.”
Recently, Britt led a letter to the White House budget office urging them to release funding for the agency appropriated in the fiscal year 2025 continuing resolution. Bhattacharya said the NIH was behind on allocating funds when he began his position, but said he was working to correct it.
“We are on track now to spend the allocation that Congress gave us on excellent science, on projects that will advance the health of the population,” he said. “So it got a little behind, and we’re still still not quite caught up, but we still have six weeks, and folks at NIH are working overtime to make this happen.”
Last month, the Senate Appropriations Committee rebuffed the White House’s funding cuts to the agency, allocating $48.7 billion for the NIH in its fiscal year 2026 spending bill. That’s a $400 million increase from this year’s funding level. It stands in stark contrast to the White House’s proposed 40% cut to the agency’s budget.
Britt also asked the NIH director to explain the agency’s proposal to fund multiyear grants all at once instead incrementally over the years, which could lead to awarding fewer grants. Bhattacharya acknowledged the risk associated with the proposal.
“We’re going to think of creative ways so that we don’t reduce the number of new awards, because it’s tremendously important to me that the scientific ideas that I’ve seen from around the country have some support,” Bhattacharya said.