Baylor College of Medicine has laid off 122 employees due to uncertainties surrounding federal funding for academic medical institutions.
According to Click2Houston, the layoffs, affecting various roles across administration, research, clinical, and education sectors, come as the institution faces potential cuts in NIH funding, as well as changes from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. Baylor had already implemented a hiring freeze and reduced discretionary budgets, but further program cuts were deemed necessary.
In a related move, MD Anderson Cancer Center has implemented a partial hiring freeze, focusing on filling direct patient care positions while pausing hiring for administrative roles. As per KHOU, the center remains financially stable but is taking proactive measures to manage budget constraints. Both institutions are responding to the challenges posed by federal funding uncertainties while aiming to protect their core missions.
