Cancer research in the US is world class because of its broad base of funding − with the government pulling out, its future is uncertain

Without federal support, the lights will turn off in many labs across the country. Thomas Barwick/Stone via Getty Images

Cancer research in the U.S. doesn’t rely on a single institution or funding stream − it’s a complex ecosystem made up of interdependent parts: academia, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology startups, federal agencies and private foundations. As a cancer biologist who has worked in each of these sectors over the past three decades, I’ve seen firsthand how each piece supports the others.

When one falters, the whole system becomes vulnerable.