Director of the National Institutes of Health

{{Short description|Leading role in US federal department}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox official post | post = Director of the<br>National Institutes of Health | flag = NIH Master Logo Vertical 2Color.png | flagborder = | flagsize = 150 | insignia = | insigniasize = 120 | image = Jay Bhattacharya, official portrait (2025).jpg | incumbent = Jay Bhattacharya | incumbentsince = April 1, 2025 | formation = August 1887 | first = Joseph J. Kinyoun | website = [https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-director Official website] | acting = x | appointer = The president }}

In the United States, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency responsible for medical research. The '''director of the National Institutes of Health''' plays an active role in shaping the agency's activities and outlook. The director is responsible for providing leadership to the institutes and for constantly identifying needs and opportunities, especially for efforts that involve multiple institutes.{{sfn|National Institutes of Health|2014}} The NIH director is responsible for advising the U.S. president on their annual budget request to Congress on the basis of extensive discussions with the institute directors.{{sfn|National Institutes of Health|2014}}

==History== The position of the NIH director became presidentially appointed with the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971 and Senate confirmed with the National Cancer Act Amendments of 1974. Prior to 1971, all NIH directors were appointed by the surgeon general, with the exception of Robert Q. Marston, who was appointed by the secretary of health, education, and welfare. Acting directors are selected by the secretary of health and human services and hold the position until the president nominates a new director who is confirmed by the Senate.{{sfn|National Institutes of Health|2015}}

== List of directors == The following persons served as directors of the National Institutes of Health:<ref name="directorlist">{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/leadership/nih-directors |title=NIH Directors |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref>

''Unnumbered, colored rows indicate acting directors.'' {|class="sortable wikitable" |- !{{Abbr|No.|Number}}!!Portrait!!Name!!Term start!!Term end!!Appointed by!!class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Refs.|References}} |- |1 |70px |Joseph J. Kinyoun{{efn|name=Kinyoun}} |August 1887 |April 30, 1899 |John B. Hamilton |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/joseph-james-kinyoun-md |title=Joseph James Kinyoun, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |2 |70px |Milton J. Rosenau |May 1, 1899 |nowrap|September 30, 1909 |Walter Wyman |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/milton-joseph-rosenau-md |title=Milton Joseph Rosenau, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |3 |70px |John F. Anderson |October 1, 1909 |November 19, 1915 |Walter Wyman |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/john-f-anderson-md |title=John F. Anderson, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |4 |70px |George W. McCoy{{efn|name=McCoy}} |November 20, 1915 |January 31, 1937 |Rupert Blue |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/george-walter-mccoy-md |title=George Walter McCoy, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |5 |70px |Lewis Ryers Thompson |February 1, 1937 |January 31, 1942 |Thomas Parran |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/lewis-ryers-thompson-md |title=Lewis Ryers Thompson, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |6 |70px |Rolla Dyer{{efn|name=Dyer}} |February 1, 1942 |September 30, 1950 |Thomas Parran |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/rolla-eugene-dyer-md |title=Rolla Eugene Dyer, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref><ref name=heartact>{{cite web |url=https://history.nih.gov/display/history/New+Institutes |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211203230027/https://history.nih.gov/display/history/New+Institutes |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2021 |title=New Institutes |work=A Short History of the National Institutes of Health |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |7 |70px |William H. Sebrell Jr. |October 1, 1950 |July 31, 1955 |Leonard A. Scheele |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/william-henry-sebrell-jr-md |title=William Henry Sebrell, Jr., M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |8 |70px |James A. Shannon |August 1, 1955 |August 31, 1968 |Leonard A. Scheele |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/james-shannon-md |title=James A. Shannon, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |9 |70px |Robert Q. Marston{{efn|name=Marston}}{{efn|name=presidential}} |nowrap|September 1, 1968 |January 21, 1973 |Wilbur J. Cohen |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/robert-q-marston-md |title=Robert Q. Marston, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.161.3839.345 |title=Robert Q. Marston To Head NIH |journal=Science |date=July 26, 1968 |volume=161 |issue=3839 |page=345 |doi=10.1126/science.161.3839.34}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– |  | John F. Sherman{{efn|name=deputy}} | January 21, 1973 | May 28, 1973 | Elliot L. Richardson | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-almanac/john-f-sherman-phd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106065633/http://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-almanac/john-f-sherman-phd |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 6, 2016 |title=John F. Sherman, Ph.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |10 |70px |Robert Stone |May 29, 1973 |January 31, 1975 |Richard Nixon |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/robert-s-stone-md |title=Robert S. Stone, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– |  | Ronald W. Lamont-Havers{{efn|name=deputy}} | February 1, 1975 | June 30, 1975 | Caspar Weinberger | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/ronald-w-lamont-havers-md |title=Ronald W. Lamont-Havers, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |11 |70px |Donald S. Fredrickson |July 1, 1975 |June 30, 1981 |Jimmy Carter |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/donald-s-fredrickson-md |title=Donald S. Fredrickson, M.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– | 70px | Thomas E. Malone{{efn|name=deputy}} | July 1, 1981 | April 28, 1982 | Richard S. Schweiker | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/thomas-e-malone-phd |title=Thomas E. Malone, Ph.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- |12 |70px |James Wyngaarden |April 29, 1982 |July 31, 1989 |Ronald Reagan |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/james-b-wyngaarden-md |title=James B. Wyngaarden, M.D. |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– | 70px | William F. Raub{{efn|name=deputy}} | August 1, 1989 | April 8, 1991 | Louis Wade Sullivan | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/william-f-raub-phd |title=William F. Raub, Ph.D. |work=The NIH Almanac |publisher=National Institutes of Health}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://aspe.hhs.gov/william-f-raub-phd |title=William F. Raub, PH.D. |work=Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation |publisher=U.S. Department of Health and Human Services}}</ref> |- |13 |70px |Bernadine Healy |April 8, 1991 |June 30, 1993 |George H. W. Bush |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/bernadine-healy-md |title=Bernadine Healy, M.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– | 70px | Ruth L. Kirschstein{{efn|name=deputy}} | July 1, 1993 | November 22, 1993 | Donna Shalala | <ref name="kirschstein"/> |- |14 |70px |Harold E. Varmus |nowrap|November 23, 1993 |December 31, 1999 |Bill Clinton |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/harold-e-varmus-md |title=Harold E. Varmus, M.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– | 70px | Ruth L. Kirschstein{{efn|name=deputy}} | January 1, 2000 | May 1, 2002 | Donna Shalala | <ref name="kirschstein">{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/ruth-kirschstein-md |title=Ruth Kirschstein, M.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- |15 |70px |Elias Zerhouni |May 2, 2002 |October 31, 2008 |George W. Bush |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ninr.nih.gov/sites/default/files/docs/may_min02.pdf |title=Minutes of the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research |date=May 21, 2002 |publisher=National Advisory Council for Nursing Research}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2008/09/01/elias-a-zerhouni-to-end-tenure-as-director-of-the-national-institutes-of-health/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018234825/http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2008/09/01/elias-a-zerhouni-to-end-tenure-as-director-of-the-national-institutes-of-health/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 18, 2011 |title=Elias A. Zerhouni to End Tenure as Director of the National Institutes of Health |date=September 1, 2008 |publisher=NIH}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/elias-zerhouni-md |title=Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– | 70px | Raynard S. Kington{{efn|name=deputy}} | November 1, 2008 | August 16, 2009 | Michael O. Leavitt | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/raynard-s-kington-md |title=Raynard S. Kington, M.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- |16 |70px |Francis Collins |August 17, 2009 |December 19, 2021 |Barack Obama |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/francis-s-collins-md-phd-sworn-nih-director |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105023002/http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/francis-s-collins-md-phd-sworn-nih-director |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 5, 2016 |title=Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Sworn in as NIH Director |date=August 17, 2009 |publisher=NIH}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/francis-collins-step-down-director-national-institutes-health |title=Francis Collins to step down as director of the National Institutes of Health |date=October 5, 2021 |publisher=NIH}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/francis-s-collins-md-phd |title=Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– | 70px | Lawrence A. Tabak{{efn|name=principal}} | December 20, 2021 | November 8, 2023 | Xavier Becerra | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/lawrence-tabak-dds-phd |title=Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- |17 |70px |Monica Bertagnolli |November 9, 2023 |January 17, 2025 |Joe Biden |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/monica-m-bertagnolli-md |title=Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D. |publisher=NIH}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://irp.nih.gov/catalyst/32/1/confirmed-bertagnolli-named-director |title=CONFIRMED: Bertagnolli Named Director |volume=32 |issue=1 |date=January–February 2024 |journal=The NIH Catalyst}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/statement-monica-m-bertagnolli-md-ending-her-tenure-nih-director |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114205543/https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/statement-monica-m-bertagnolli-md-ending-her-tenure-nih-director |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |title=Statement from Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D., on ending her tenure as NIH director |date=January 14, 2025 |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |- bgcolor="#e6e6aa" |– | 70px |Matthew Memoli{{efn|name=Memoli}} |January 22, 2025 |March 31, 2025 |Dorothy Fink |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/leadership/nih-directors/matthew-j-memoli-md-ms |title=Matthew J. Memoli, M.D, M.S. |publisher=NIH}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nihrecord.nih.gov/2025/02/14/niaid-s-memoli-appointed-nih-acting-director |title=NIAID's Memoli Appointed NIH Acting Director |date=February 14, 2025 |volume=78 |number=4 |journal=NIH Record}}</ref> |- |18 |70px |Jay Bhattacharya |April 1, 2025 |Present |Donald Trump |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/jay-bhattacharya-begins-tenure-18th-director-national-institutes-health |title=Jay Bhattacharya Begins Tenure as 18th Director of the National Institutes of Health |date=April 1, 2025 |publisher=NIH}}</ref> |}

Table notes:

{{notelist|refs= {{efn|name=deputy|NIH deputy director}} {{efn|name=principal|NIH principal deputy director}} {{efn|name=Kinyoun|Kinyoun was appointed the first director of the U.S. Hygienic Laboratory by the Surgeon General in 1887.}} {{efn|name=McCoy|The U.S. Hygienic Laboratory was renamed the National Institute of Health in 1930 under the Ransdell Act.}} {{efn|name=Dyer|The National Institute of Health was renamed the National Institutes of Health in 1948 as part of reorganization that was authorized under the National Heart Act.}} {{efn|name=Marston|With the approval of President Johnson, Marston was appointed NIH director by HEW secretary Wilbur J. Cohen. Marston was head of another HEW department at the time of the appointment.}} {{efn|name=presidential| Starting in 1971, directors became presidential appointees serving at the pleasure of the commander in chief as a result of the passage of the National Cancer Act.}} {{efn|name=Memoli|Director of the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases (LID) Clinical Studies Unit, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)}} }}

==References== === Citations === {{reflist}}

=== Bibliography=== {{refbegin}} *{{Cite web|ref={{harvid|National Institutes of Health|2014}}|author= |date=2014-10-31 |title=NIH Leadership |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-leadership |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106232446/http://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-leadership |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2015 |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=National Institutes of Health |language=EN}}{{PD-notice}} *{{Cite web|ref={{harvid|National Institutes of Health|2015}}|author= |date=2015-02-11|title=NIH Directors|url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/nih-almanac/leadership/nih-directors|access-date=2022-01-28|website=National Institutes of Health (NIH)|language=EN}}{{PD-notice}} {{Include-NIH}} {{refend}} {{National Institutes of Health}}

Category:Directors of the National Institutes of Health

Director of the National Institutes of Health

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