The jobs of 31 workers in the ASU Center for Cancer Research expired Friday because their federal grant was not renewed, said Virgil Renzulli, vice president of public affairs at ASU.
Renzulli said the team, one of seven in the center, had been funded by the federal government with a research grant for years.
Each year, all federally funded projects must renew their grants, he said.
Because there is a limited amount of federal money, the renewal process is competitive and not all projects are renewed, he added.
Projects are chosen for federal funding based on peer reviews judging their merit, Renzulli said.
"Anyone in this field knows and is told that when their grant expires, their funding and job expires," he said. "We want to prevent, treat and cure disease. You don't just keep funding a project."
All other groups in the Center for Cancer Research were approved for renewal, Renzulli said.
"There are a lot of different ways to approach preventing cancer," he said. "We are now pursuing other approaches."
Renzulli said the team whose grant was not renewed was taking a chemical approach to preventing cancer.
The team consisted of 14 full-time and three part-time employees, and seven staff and seven student workers, Renzulli said.
The full-time and part-time employees met with representatives from Human Resources Friday morning who counseled them on employment opportunities inside and outside of the University and the Biodesign Institute, he said.
"It is very sad this happened," he added. "Our concern is for those employees."
Renzulli said the student workers and staff would not be affected the same way. They will simply be redistributed in the Biodesign Institute, he said.
Staff members from the research center either did not return calls or declined to comment.
Reach the reporter at tara.brite@asu.edu.
