The University of Rochester and Cornell University have joined 10 other universities in filing suit against the National Institute of Health for planned cuts to funding at medical and public health research institutions nationwide.

Under the Trump administration's effort, the NIH would cap indirect funds for higher education research infrastructure to 15% of total grant dollars distributed. Something the universities say is significantly less than the cost required to perform cutting-edge medical research. A federal judge has issued a temporary block on the effort after a lawsuit was filed by 22 states, including New York.

“The administration’s decision to cap NIH reimbursement rates could force scientists to shutter their lifesaving research on cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, addiction, infectious diseases and more," said New York Attorney General Letitia James. "My office will not stand idly by as this administration once again puts politics over science and endangers public health."

Cornell says NIH has partnered with universities to help fund its facilities and administration costs associated with federal research. Without this funding, Cornell says biomedical research, medical advances and innovation will suffer.

Cornell released a statement saying in part:

"Such sudden and dramatic cuts imperil this extraordinarily successful partnership. While we welcome a thoughtful process of evaluation of indirect costs, if the research capabilities of America's universities are destabilized and undermined in this way, no institutions will be capable of filling the void of discovery and innovation as a public good."

In the lawsuit, Cornell says the change would result in a $42 million shortfall. The University of Rochester notes it could lose more than $40 million.