NIH quietly restoring grants
Tomo Chien & Maggie Bell
April 30, 2025
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and we’re reading about the best matcha lattes in Los Angeles. Onto the five USC, LA, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
The Trump administration is quietly restoring some National Institutes of Health grants it previously revoked from universities. But there appears to be no pattern to which grants officials are reinstating, leaving researchers baffled. “Nobody at our institution is sure of what happened, or if this is permanent,” said a University of Colorado professor.
2.
A USC sophomore developed a software script that’s already helping pediatric cancer patients at Children’s Hospital LA. Arjun Karnwal, a biomedical engineering student, created a program that helps clinicians more effectively map tumors for radiation treatment. Before, the process took two hours. Now it takes eight minutes.
3.
USC’s student government named May “Jewish American Heritage Month” in a unanimous vote last night. Senators also voted to hire paid Jewish and Muslim community liaisons who will serve in USG’s advocacy department.
4.
Tens of thousands of striking county workers descended on downtown yesterday for a massive rally that saw 14 arrests. The strike — which has shuttered county libraries, parks, and healthcare clinics — is expected to end tonight.
5.
Finals week is just around the corner, and students’ perennial procrastination is back with a vengeance. Freshman Iker Charbit, speaking for large swaths of the student body, plans to spend the weekend surfing and partying with his frat. “I haven’t really started studying,” the business major said. “Next week I’m going to lock in.”