In court filings late in the year, the National Institutes of Health agreed to re-examine hundreds of grant applications it previously shelved or denied, reversing a pattern of rejection tied to political directives. The move follows litigation and judicial pressure to ensure that peer-reviewed proposals receive a fresh, merit-based assessment. Researchers whose funding was delayed or denied will be affected immediately if grants are reinstated, with implications for multi‑year projects, staffing and lab continuity. Universities and research offices are mobilizing to track impacted proposals and plan for potential budget and compliance changes should awards be restored. The episode underscores how litigation and executive actions can reshape federal research priorities — and signals to campuses the need to document the scientific and national‑interest basis for grant programs.