President Joe Biden announced his nomination for the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Monday.
The president chose Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, a surgical oncologist and director of the National Cancer Institute, to be his nominee.
“Dr. Bertagnolli has spent her career pioneering scientific discovery and pushing the boundaries of what is possible to improve cancer prevention and treatment for patients, and ensuring that patients in every community have access to quality care,” Biden said.
“As Director of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Bertagnolli has advanced my Cancer Moonshot to end cancer as we know it. She has brought together partners and resources from different sectors to launch groundbreaking efforts in cancer prevention and early detection, a national navigation program for childhood cancers, and additional programs to bring clinical trials to more Americans,” the president continued.
When I joined NCI as Director, @POTUS and @FLOTUS told me that they want to see an all-of-society approach to ending cancer. That is why, today, I’m very excited to announce that @theNCI is unveiling the National Cancer Plan to get us there because #Every1HasARole. 🧵⬇️
— Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli (@NCIDirector) April 3, 2023
“Dr. Bertagnolli is a world-class physician-scientist whose vision and leadership will ensure NIH continues to be an engine of innovation to improve the health of the American people,” Biden added. (RELATED: ‘Strictly Window Dressing’: New NIH Gain-Of-Function Regulations Fall Far Short Of Protecting The Public, Experts Say)
If nominated, Bertagnolli would replace Francis Collins, who resigned in 2021. Lawrence A. Tabak is currently serving as the acting director of the NIH.