Diabetes Dateline
Winter 2009

NIH News

Zerhouni Ends Tenure as NIH Director

Deputy Director Kington Steps in as Acting Director

Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., a physician-scientist and world-renowned leader in radiology research, ended his tenure as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). From May 2002 through October 2008, Zerhouni led the agency through a challenging period that required innovative solutions to transform basic and clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and their families.

Zerhouni plans to pursue writing projects and explore other professional opportunities.

“I have had the privilege of leading one of the greatest institutions in the world for six-and-a-half years,” Zerhouni said. “NIH’s strength comes from the extraordinary commitment and excellence of its people in serving a noble mission. It also comes from the nation’s scientific community, whose discoveries alleviate the suffering of patients throughout the world.”

NIH Roadmap

The hallmark of Zerhouni’s tenure is the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, launched in 2003 after extensive consultations with the scientific community. The NIH Roadmap brought together the NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers to fund compelling research initiatives that could have a major impact on science but that no single Institute could tackle alone.

Reaching out to the Public

Under Zerhouni’s leadership, the NIH reached out to the public in an unprecedented way with the communication of science-based health information and scientific results. He led efforts to make the incomparable resources of the NIH and its grantees accessible to the public. Key to these efforts are the health education programs across the agency, including the development of materials for people who have literacy, language, or access barriers.

The NIH is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the nation’s premiere biomedical research agency. The agency has more than 18,000 employees and a fiscal year 2008 budget of $29.5 billion. It supports more than 325,000 research personnel at more than 3,100 institutions throughout the United States and around the world.

Raynard S. Kington, M.D., Ph.D., NIH deputy director under Zerhouni, will serve as acting director until a permanent director is appointed by President Obama.

NIH Publication No. 09–4562
March 2009

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