(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden said Monday he intends to nominate a new director for the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, a surgical oncologist and cancer researcher, was picked by Biden as the successor.
“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. “As Director of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Bertagnolli has advanced my Cancer Moonshot to end cancer as we know it.”
The statement continued, “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. 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.”
If her nomination is confirmed, Bertagnolli will be the second woman as NIH director. She will replace Dr. Francis Collins, who left the agency in December 2021 after 12 years with the agency. Lawrence Tabak has been serving as interim director while Biden searches for a new pick.
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