Biden Nominates Surgical Oncologist Dr. Monica Bertagnolli As NIH Director
President Joe Biden has nominated Dr. Monica Bertagnolli as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s largest biomedical research organization.
A world-renowned surgical oncologist, cancer researcher and educator, 64-year-old Bertagnolli is currently working as the director of the National Cancer Institute, the first woman to serve in this post.
If the Senate confirms Bertagnolli’s nomination, the NIH would be getting a head after more than a year’s vacancy in the top post.
The primary agency of the U.S. government responsible for biomedical and public health research, the NIH conducts its own scientific research through the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) and provides major biomedical research funding to non-NIH research facilities.
The NIH comprises 27 separate institutes and centers of different biomedical disciplines and is responsible for many scientific accomplishments, including the discovery of fluoride to prevent tooth decay and the use of lithium to manage bipolar disorder.
Throughout her career, Dr. Bertagnolli has been at the forefront of clinical and research oncology and championed collaborative initiatives to transform the data infrastructure for clinical cancer research.
Dr. Bertagnolli is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, a past president and chair of the board of directors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and has served on the board of directors of the American Cancer Society and the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
“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 in a statement.
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