Champaign, Illinois — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded approximately $800,000 in federal research grants to a project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that collaborates with a Russian state laboratory linked to a plague incident currently drawing international attention, according to a report from an animal-testing watchdog.
The group, White Coat Waste, revealed on October 7 that its analysis of federal financial records uncovered grants totaling $779,689 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The funds were disbursed in two near-identical payments for research into social behavior and domestication in silver foxes, with connections to the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk, Russia. The most recent payment was made in September 2026, just weeks before a laboratory technician in Siberia died under suspicious circumstances.
Darya Shipilova, the technician at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, passed away on October 2, with Russian authorities attributing her death to unknown pneumonia. This incident has raised concerns amidst reports of a laboratory accident involving a test tube containing plague bacteria around the same time.
The research at Urbana-Champaign involves breeding foxes for temperamental studies, with findings reportedly having no direct relation to plague research. However, White Coat Waste’s findings show that the foxes are sourced from a Siberian fur farm where they are euthanized and their brain tissue shipped to the United States for examination. There are ties between the Institute of Cytology and Genetics and the Irkutsk laboratory, but the funding does not appear to finance any plague-related initiatives.
While the NIH grants are directed solely towards U.S. research, critics are wary of any association with a laboratory linked to plague research in the midst of a health scare. Russian media have reported conflicting information about the circumstances surrounding Shipilova’s death, with some unconfirmed reports alleging she suffered from pneumonic plague.
Amidst these developments, neighboring countries like Mongolia and Uzbekistan have heightened border health protocols out of precaution. The World Health Organization has also sought more details from Russian authorities regarding the illness, expressing cautious concern.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the necessity for transparency from Russia, stating that the international community deserves comprehensive information regarding the incident. President Donald Trump indicated intentions to discuss the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing a belief that the situation does not suggest a biological weapons incident.
Erik Polyak, executive director of 314 Action, slammed the decision to fund the research as careless and potentially harmful to national security. A spokesperson for HHS defended the appropriateness of the funding, clarifying that the grants support research in behavioral science aimed at advancing understanding of psychiatric conditions, declaring that no resources are allocated to the Russian institution.
This funding controversy aligns with White Coat Waste’s long-standing campaign against U.S. financial support for animal experiments in Russia. In the wake of earlier investigations, which pointed out misallocated NIH funding to Russian labs, the Biden administration had called for a winding down of research partnerships with such institutions. Despite this directive, recent grants have continued to flow.
In light of these intertwined narratives, the general apprehension surrounding pandemic preparedness and laboratory safety will only heighten as scrutiny grows over international research collaborations. The relationship between the fox studies and the circumstances surrounding the Siberian laboratory technician’s death serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and risks that accompany global scientific partnerships in times of public health uncertainty.