Updates on Federal Agency Activities, Marlowe, C-ShaRP; Research Support Services

Dear Chairs and Directors,

Welcome to Autumn Quarter!  I hope your summer was relaxing and restorative.  

The academic year started for me with a visit to the New Faculty Orientation, where I met many of our incoming faculty members.  Hearing their research plans was inspiring, and there was much interest in learning about the many resources the University has to help them launch.

This year I will continue to use this newsletter to help you stay updated on research matters.  In this opener, I am sharing updates on 4 topics:

  • Disruptions to federal grants
  • Discount program for Marlowe (supercomputer) usage
  • C-ShaRP Voucher Program for new faculty
  • Two changes in research support services

Disruptions to Federal Grants

As of September 24, 2025, Stanford has had 82 federally-supported grants terminated.  An additional 26 termination notices were received, and then rescinded. The budgets of the 82 terminated grants total $41.2 million, 28% ($11.7 million) of which was unspent at the time of termination.

For 14 terminations, affected PIs elected to write an appeal letter to the agency.  The Office of General Counsel, the Office of Research Administration (ORA), and VPDoR supported those appeals.

For nearly all other federal awards, Stanford continues to draw down funds without significant interruptions. New proposals continue to be submitted.  However, a variety of irregularities persist, including underspending at some agencies, some unusually slow renewals, and a few very highly-scored proposals not selected for funding.  We are watching these areas closely.

There will be an opportunity to get additional information and ask questions about the federal funding situation at our next Research Town Hall on October 9.  Here are the details:

Town Hall (Webinar)

Thursday, October 9, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (PDT) – JOIN HERE

Meeting ID: 926 4227 6557

Password: 610232

You may also submit questions in advance here.

Finally, a reminder that if you or your faculty receive direct contacts from the federal government relevant to grant disruptions, they should share them as soon as possible with a local research administrator. 

Marlowe Discounts in Fall Quarter

The start of the fall quarter is a good moment to consider taking advantage of Marlowe, Stanford’s GPU-based computational instrument.  Principal investigators new to Marlowe are eligible for 5,000 free GPU hours.  There is also discounted pricing for all users through November 30, 2025.  Please visit this page to learn more.

C-ShaRP Voucher Program for New Faculty – Now Open

A call for proposals is now open for new faculty interested in exploring Stanford’s extensive network of shared research facilities.  The C-ShaRP Voucher Program makes awards of up to $10,000 to allow new faculty to explore and experiment with shared scientific equipment relevant to their research.  Last year, 19 researchers were awarded vouchers for work at 12 facilities.

Applications will be accepted through November 9, 2025.  More information about how to apply is available here, and any questions about the application process should be directed to Claudius Mundoma at cmundoma@stanford.edu.

Two New Names in Research Support

Human and Animal Research Compliance Office (formerly the Research Compliance Office) is the new name for the office that is responsible for oversight and management of Stanford’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), Stem Cell Research Oversight (SCRO), and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).  This office plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with the rules that govern research involving human subjects, animals, and stem cells.  The new name better represents that mission.

Effective September 1, 2025, the Stanford Nano Fabrication Lab (SNF) and the Stanford Nano Shared Facility (SNSF) have merged.  The newly-consolidated facility, nano@Stanford, becomes Stanford’s largest shared facility.  It will be led by Professor Yuri Suzuki.  This merger has been guided by Yuri and other campus leaders in nanoscience.  The goal is to improve user experiences, unlock new opportunities for collaboration and innovation, and help to simplify Stanford.

Please share relevant parts of this letter with anyone in your orbit who may find the information and links helpful.

 

Stay safe and be well, 

David
David Studdert
Vice Provost and Dean of Research