NIH Director

A Conversation with NIH Director Francis Collins

World-Renowned Geneticist Discusses His Experience Leading NIH

Dr. Francis Collins

Francis S. Collins, who is stepping down from his post as NIH Director by the end of the year, spoke recently with staff from The NIH Catalyst, the NIH Record, and the “I am Intramural” Blog. Read on for a few highlights from that conversation, or read the full interview originally published The NIH Catalyst.

On NIH’s efforts to improve diversity in the scientific workforce

“Diversity is a hugely important issue for our workforce, our grantee community, and our clinical-trials participation. Several years ago I put together a diversity working group of my advisory committee, and out of that came the creation of a new position, the Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity. The initial holder of that post was Dr. Hannah Valantine, and now Dr. Marie Bernard leads the office. In addition, we have made real strides in increasing diversity in our intramural program through the Distinguished Scholars Program.

NIH Mourns the Passing of Former Director James B. Wyngaarden

Along with scientists around the country and the world, the IRP community is mourning the loss of former NIH Director James B. Wyngaarden, M.D, who passed away on June 14. Dr. Wyngaarden served as the 12th NIH Director from 1982 to 1989. During that time, he guided the NIH's instrumental role in responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and initiating the Human Genome Project. He also played a key role in the creation of the NIH Children's Inn. 

Former NIH Director James B. Wyngaarden

Let's Have Some Fun with NIH History

I've spent the last couple months scouring the NIH archives for the most interesting trivia tidbits I could find. Now you can entertain your colleagues and friends with these 10 fun facts about NIH!

1) Native Americans camped along the stream on the east side of campus beginning about 3,000 years ago. They left choppers, arrow heads, and other material evidence behind.

Native American stone artifact (left) and the stream on the NIH main campus where it was found (right)

NIH Family Members Giving Back: Diane Baker

Reblogged from the NIH Director’s Blog.

Francis Collins and wife Diane volunteer to make dinner for patients and their families at The Children’s Inn at NIH.

My blog usually celebrates biomedical advances made possible by NIH-supported research. But every August, I like to try something different and highlight an aspect of the scientific world that might not make headlines. This year, I’d like to take a moment to pay tribute to just a few of the many NIH family members around the country who, without pay or fanfare, freely give of themselves to make a difference in their communities. I’d like to start by recognizing my wife Diane Baker, a genetic counselor who has always found time during her busy career to volunteer.

Ebola Virus: Lessons from a Unique Survivor

Reblogged from The NIH Director's Blog.

Ebola virus (green) is shown on cell surface

There are new reports of an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This news comes just two years after international control efforts eventually contained an Ebola outbreak in West Africa, though before control was achieved, more than 11,000 people died—the largest known Ebola outbreak in human history. Many questions remain about why some people die from Ebola and others survive. Now, some answers are beginning to emerge thanks to a new detailed analysis of the immune responses of a unique Ebola survivor, a 34-year-old American health-care worker who was critically ill and cared for at the NIH Special Clinical Studies Unit in 2015.

Morning Sickness Associated with Lower Miscarriage Risk

Reblog via the NIH Director's Blog.

Stock photo of a woman resting on her bed in her bedroom while appearing nauseous.

During the first trimester of pregnancy, many women experience what’s commonly known as “morning sickness.” As distressing as this nausea and vomiting can be, a team of NIH researchers has gathered some of the most convincing evidence to date that such symptoms may actually be a sign of something very positive: a lower risk of miscarriage.

Presidential NIH Visits: Gerald Ford, 1975

"Over the years, as I was in the Congress, I watched NIH grow into the world's foremost medical research institution," Ford said. "I followed your achievements — the breakthroughs that you have achieved here and in laboratories which you support around the world."

President Gerald Ford greeting people at NIH