Obama will name Francis Collins as new NIH director
Former Human Genome Project leader Francis Collins will be nominated to lead the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“Dr. Collins is one of the top scientists in the world,” President Obama said in a White House statement today. “And his groundbreaking work has changed the very ways we consider our health and examine disease.”
The 59-year-old Collins, who led the NIH’s genome research division for 15 years, was also involved in the research that uncovered genes for numerous diseases, including cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease, notes Bloomberg News.
Many point to his explanatory powers as another key facet of his nomination. “The real advantage he brings is the ability to translate deep and complex science to the lay population,” said American Heart Association president, Clyde Yancy, reports the Associated Press.
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