A groundbreaking microscope at Harvard Medical School could lead to breakthroughs in cancer detection and research into longevity. But the scientist who developed computer scripts to read its images and unlock its full potential has been in an immigration detention center for two months — putting crucial scientific advancements at risk. 30-year-old Russian-born Kseniia Petrova worked at Kirschner Lab until her arrest in mid-February. She is now being held in Louisiana, and fighting possible deportation to Russia, where she said she fears persecution and jail time over her protests against the war in Ukraine. Petrova’s case and the detention of academics across the country has damaged the ability of universities in the United States to recruit and retain leading talent, experts and Petrova’s colleagues said. In fields where expertise is often highly specialized, the loss of talent could have dire consequences globally for the future of medicine and scientific discovery. Scientists an...