In Mississippi, everyone has likely lost someone to cancer. That’s because the state has the highest cancer mortality rate in the nation, with 6,500 people losing their battles with cancer annually, according to the Mississippi Cancer Registry. And while research conducted by scientists has led to new cancer treatments, our work is in peril due to proposed budget cuts in the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget.
If approved by Congress, the president’s spending plan would recklessly slash funding at federal science agencies, hurting opportunities to improve health outcomes for Mississippians and Americans more broadly. And that’s why I call upon U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, to work with her colleagues to ensure a robust budget for the science agencies. With support from our elected officials, we can boost our chances to reduce cancer deaths, strengthen our economy, and keep the U.S. a global technology leader.
I am a physics professor and researcher, and my research group focuses on studying how the proton gets its mass and other properties of protons. You might wonder, “what do physics and protons have to do with curing cancer?” It turns out that protons deposit energy in a unique, concise way, leading to the practical application of proton therapy, a common form of treatment for cancer. Our research has also helped develop the technology that removes bacteria from farmed oysters, a key industry in the state.
My research is only possible due to grants from the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy’s Office of Science. If the president’s proposed cuts become law, I will be forced to dial back or halt my lab’s research projects, ending critical efforts that have practical applications, including for medicine and food safety.
Moreover, we would lose the highly skilled students whose work has laid the groundwork for additional breakthroughs. Many of my students have taken knowledge they’ve learned in my lab to high-tech jobs, including with Intel and the NASA Space Center in Mississippi. Locally, employers are making an impact with innovations and job creation throughout the state, thanks to federal funding. In Mississippi, from 2019-2023, seven small businesses, employing more than 200 people, received more than $3 million from small business innovation and technology transfer grants from federal agencies.
Science and technological advancements have been the main drivers of gross domestic product growth during the past half-century, according to a study by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Put simply, investing in science is a sure bet.
Again, I ask Sen. Hyde-Smith and her Senate colleagues to deliver a spending plan that helps us reduce cancer deaths, delivers a strong economy for both Mississippi and the nation, and maintains U.S. leadership.
Dipangkar Dutta, Professor of Physics
Starkville
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