“… Yet National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins, MD, PhD, has not only survived from one administration to the next, he’s thrived. Appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009 and reappointed by President Donald Trump two years ago, Collins, a physician-geneticist, is now in his tenth year helming the NIH — the largest public supporter of biomedical science in the world.”
“I spoke with Collins for the latest issue of Stanford Medicine magazine on the theme of discovery. One aspect of Collins’ professional life especially intrigued me: Why, amid all of his significant responsibilities in running a behemoth federal agency, is discovery still so essential to his core being that he keeps a research lab at the NIH?”
“After years of financial turmoil, the NIH’s budget has not only stabilized, it’s grown, thanks to strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress. I asked Collins about the congressional expectations that come along with those increased dollars. At the top of the list, he told me, is solving the riddle of Alzheimer’s disease…” Read the full article or listen to the interview here.
Source: “Show me some data”: Francis Collins discusses life at the helm of the NIH – By Paul Costello, July 1, 2019. Stanford Medicine.
