Director of the National Institutes of Health

Director of the National Institutes of Health is a high-ranking position within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The individual in this role is responsible for overseeing the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a primary agency of the U.S. government responsible for biomedical and public health research.

Role and Responsibilities

The Director of the NIH is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. The Director serves as the main advisor to the President, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and other high-ranking officials on matters related to biomedical and health research.

The Director's responsibilities include:

• Coordinating and directing investigations into the causes, treatment, and prevention of diseases
• Administering the resources of the NIH
• Advising on the U.S. government's health research agenda
• Representing the NIH to the public, the scientific community, and other stakeholders

History

The position of Director of the NIH was established in 1930 with the creation of the NIH itself. The first Director was Rolla Dyer, who served from 1942 to 1950. Since then, there have been several notable Directors, including Francis Collins, who served from 2009 to 2021, and Rochelle Walensky, the current Director as of 2022.

See Also

• National Institutes of Health
• United States Department of Health and Human Services
• Public health
• Biomedical research