Wayne State University Cancer Biology Graduate Program student Natalie Snider-Hoy found herself in Washington, D.C., last month for the third time in as many years, advocating for continued funding of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute as part of the American Association for Cancer Research Early-Career Hill Day.
She traveled as part of a team Feb. 25-26 to represent WSU and the state of Michigan, serving as a group leader in meetings with Michigan members of Congress on behalf of AACR staff.
Snider-Hoy is in her fifth year of the doctoral program at the School of Medicine and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.
The annual event brings early-career scientists, including doctoral candidates, post-doctoral researchers, medical residents, medical fellows and some early-stage assistant professors, to Washington to advocate for robust, sustained and predictable funding for cancer research and biomedical science.
In meetings with staff members of U.S. Sen. Elisa Slotkin, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan, and with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody and U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee of Florida, the team asked for $51.3 billion for the foundational work of the NIH in fiscal year 2025. This includes $7.934 billion for the National Cancer Institute, the highest possible appropriation increase. They also advised the U.S. Congress to complete work on fiscal year 2025’s spending bills as quickly as possible to avoid delays and disruptions caused by continuing resolutions.
Snider-Hoy is a T32 trainee, an AACR associate member, and a recipient of additional career development awards from the AACR, including Scholar-in-Training awards to present her research. She is a molecular epidemiologist-in-training, mentored by Associate Professor of Oncology Kristen Purrington, Ph.D. She plans to pursue a career in science policy and regulatory science upon graduation.
“It is an honor to represent Wayne State at the federal level. Wayne State has been my home for many years, from undergrad to now near the end of my Ph.D., and has shaped me into the scientist I am today,” she said. “It is a privilege to highlight the groundbreaking and life-saving research conducted by researchers at Wayne State University and the Karmanos Cancer Center, and discuss the cutting-edge training I have received in the city of Detroit. Congress members are always very impressed with the work we do and take great pride in the research institutions in their home state. I feel that by highlighting our progress, this instills in them confidence that funding the NIH and NCI provides both immediate and long-term returns on biomedical innovations and the next generation of scientists to continue this work.”
Although Snider-Hoy has attended the advocacy day twice, this was the first visit since the second election of President Donald Trump.
“This was AACR’s 10th annual Early Career Hill Day, and they mentioned during our training meetings that this was likely the most important one yet. We must make our voices heard and explain the many reasons why funding is so beneficial, as well as warn of the potentially catastrophic consequences of inadequate research funding and delays in funding,” she said. “The Hill was much busier than my last two trips with AACR in 2023 and 2024. Not only do we have a new president, but we also have plenty of new Congress members settling into their positions. Many groups, not just biomedical research advocates, are visiting the Hill to discuss the issues they feel are important and hoping to make relationships with these new Congress members to help promote their causes and find new allies. The weeks before the budget is set are always very busy and there is a sense of urgency among everyone visiting the Hill. This is the most important time of year to advocate for funding, as items are actively being allocated. We must be persistent to ensure that our funding needs are met for the NIH. While biomedical research funding (especially cancer research funding) always has bipartisan support, Congress members often do not fully understand its impacts and implications. Therefore, we had much to talk about in our congressional meetings.”
For more information on the trip, read Snider-Hoy’s own account in her guest post on the AACR’s website, “My Trip to Washington for AACR Early-career Hill Day 2025.”