Responding to Disruptions in Scientific Funding

This webinar is also available for listening:In this live conversation, I sat down with two of my friends, both smart thinkers in life science, Elizabeth Chabe (CEO of High Touch Group) and Hamid Ghanadan (Founder of the Linus Group) to talk about disruptions in science from funding cuts and possibly tariffs.The goal of this session was to make sense of what’s happening and offer perspective on how to move forward. We opened by acknowledging the massive wave of uncertainty hitting our industry: $1.8B slashed from the NIH budget, talent flowing overseas, and companies unsure where or how to invest. Elizabeth laid out how these cuts don’t just stall progress now, but also limit the breakthroughs we’d expect 10 or 20 years from now. As a result, countries like France, Germany, and China are welcoming U.S. researchers with open arms—and open budgets.Hamid added critical data points from his recent reports, showing how fear and indecision are paralyzing budgets across sectors. Companies are scaling back because they don’t know what assumptions to trust. That freeze is what’s truly dangerous.What to do?We explored what smart companies are doing right now—rethinking commercial strategy, investing in pilot programs that break the old marketing-sales divide, and leaning into thought leadership that actually connects. One of my favorite moments was when Hamid said, “The best way to see what the future looks like is to run small experiments today.”We also talked about empathy, not as a soft skill, but as a competitive advantage. Many scientists and labs are hurting. Those who can build trust and show up with value (not just offers) are the ones who’ll be remembered when budgets return. Elizabeth highlighted the fact that brands are built in a downturn. Now is the time to create content that solves problems.Another standout section was our discussion on AI. Both agreed that while AI opens up massive potential, it also exposes new risks—limited infrastructure, hidden costs, and overdependence on tools that few companies actually own.Your deepest insights are your best branding. I’d love to help you share them. Chat with me about custom content for your life science brand. Or visit my website. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cclifescience.substack.com