Bhattacharya became a plaintiff in a Supreme Court case, Murthy v. Missouri, arguing he was “unfairly censored” on social media as part of government efforts to combat misinformation. While the case gained national attention, it was ultimately unsuccessful in a 6-3 ruling.

The NIH, the main funder of biomedical research, awarded more than 60,000 grants last year totaling about $35 billion. The total is divided into "direct" costs – covering researchers’ salaries and laboratory supplies – and “indirect” costs, the administrative and facility costs needed to support that work.

President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health is facing questions from a Senate panel