Breakthroughs in cancer research rely on scientists like Jesse Dixon, MD, PhD. At the Salk Institute, his lab asks fundamental questions like “How does DNA fold within our cells? How do disruptions in this organization drive tumor growth?” Questions like these must be answered if we want to uncover new strategies for treating or even preventing cancer.

Federal funding has long been essential to Dixon success. But this year, his lab—and many others across the nation—have been directly affected by federal funding delays and budget constraints. “One of our grants received the best score I’ve ever gotten,” he says, “but funding priorities changed midyear, reducing the number of new funded grants. The project is now on hold.” With the National Cancer Institute funding only 1 in 25 grants, even the most promising research is at risk of stalling.

As Dixon explains the ripple effects extend far beyond the lab: “If you’re really reducing how much of that work can get started now, that’s something we’re going to see 5 to 10 years down the road, with fewer discoveries, fewer new therapies, fewer ways to help patients.”

Philanthropy has also always been a cornerstone of Jesse’s work. Early in his career, a Helmsley Foundation grant enabled him to launch his lab through the Salk Fellows program. Today, private gifts and foundation support continue to sustain his team, keeping vital cancer research alive while federal funding lags. “Without private support,” he says, “we’d be forced to scale back. Philanthropy allows us to keep asking big questions and moving science forward.”