Almost daily, the University of Nebraska system has received alerts to another round of federal cuts. UN system president, Jeffrey Gold, said on Monday night he received word a grant funding groundbreaking research was the latest in a string of cuts. "We lost a $24 million Department of Defense grant to provide protection for radiations exposure for warfighters," Gold said.In 2023, vice chancellor of research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Dr. Ken Bayles, told KETV the research was about preparing for any future threat, like a nuclear or radiological strike. Together, Bayles, his UNMC team, researchers from the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the National Strategic Research Institute were working to develop a preventative drug against acute radiation syndrome with the help of the $24.5 million investment from the Defense Health Agency. In 2023, researchers on the project called it the largest investment in any single project in the NSRI's history. "The Department of Defense has been concerned about protecting warfighters and others from potential radiation exposure," Gold said. "It's actually not a bad thing to do for the civilian population as well."On Tuesday, just hours after news broke about the project's funding being cut, Bayles said the NSRI has already received funding in the 2025 fiscal year. "Funding beyond 2025 for this project will be determined by our Department of Defense sponsor after those budgets become law. We will monitor the federal budget process closely and work with NSRI on any impacts to the project in the future," Bayles continued in a statement to KETV.UNMC also told KETV $9.4 million has been "obligated so far on this funding." They did not specify how far along the research is or if the loss of this funding will cause the project to shut down. NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

Almost daily, the University of Nebraska system has received alerts to another round of federal cuts. UN system president, Jeffrey Gold, said on Monday night he received word a grant funding groundbreaking research was the latest in a string of cuts.

"We lost a $24 million Department of Defense grant to provide protection for radiations exposure for warfighters," Gold said.

In 2023, vice chancellor of research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Dr. Ken Bayles, told KETV the research was about preparing for any future threat, like a nuclear or radiological strike. Together, Bayles, his UNMC team, researchers from the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the National Strategic Research Institute were working to develop a preventative drug against acute radiation syndrome with the help of the $24.5 million investment from the Defense Health Agency.

In 2023, researchers on the project called it the largest investment in any single project in the NSRI's history.

"The Department of Defense has been concerned about protecting warfighters and others from potential radiation exposure," Gold said. "It's actually not a bad thing to do for the civilian population as well."

On Tuesday, just hours after news broke about the project's funding being cut, Bayles said the NSRI has already received funding in the 2025 fiscal year.

"Funding beyond 2025 for this project will be determined by our Department of Defense sponsor after those budgets become law. We will monitor the federal budget process closely and work with NSRI on any impacts to the project in the future," Bayles continued in a statement to KETV.

UNMC also told KETV $9.4 million has been "obligated so far on this funding." They did not specify how far along the research is or if the loss of this funding will cause the project to shut down.