Disrupted California dementia research shows why studies deserve better protections

Re: “Trump administration restores dementia research it gutted as part of its DEI purge“

As a clinician scientist dedicated to understanding the roots of dementia, I’ve long believed that science, integrity and compassion must guide our work. Recently, these values were put to the test.

After years of progress under a federal grant researching vascular contributions to cognitive decline, our work was disrupted and nearly completely derailed. What followed was a difficult, monthslong appeals process that required legal and financial collaboration to address misrepresentations of our research, many rooted in misapplied diversity, equity and inclusion language.

It was a painful reminder of how easily vital work can be threatened by bureaucracy.

Further setbacks, including the heartbreaking loss of 50 study participants in a single month, deepened the toll on our team. But we persisted, not just for ourselves, but for the millions of families impacted by dementia.

The community I work with and the participants who continue to believe in our mission have my gratitude. With recruitment reopened through September, our commitment to transparency and progress remains steadfast.

This experience has only reinforced my belief that research must be protected — because behind every data point is a human story, and behind every story is hope.