Biden nominates Monica Bertagnolli to lead NIH
Haisten Willis
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President Joe Biden picked his nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health.
On Monday, Biden chose Monica Bertagnolli to lead the massive government entity, which rocketed into the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been without a permanent director since the departure of Francis Collins in December 2021.
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“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 announcing the nomination.
Bertagnolli is director of the National Cancer Institute, where she has helped lead Biden’s cancer moonshot initiative. She was also diagnosed with early breast cancer late last year, making her a survivor of the disease she and the president seek to combat.
The NIH has an annual budget of $45 billion and more than 18,000 employees operating under 27 separate institutes and centers. The institute saw its profile rise during the pandemic and has come under fire from conservatives for its ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Bertagnolli will need to be confirmed by the Senate in order to lead the NIH.
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Biden’s nominee grew up in Wyoming and has degrees from Princeton and the University of Utah, with a resume including stops at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Her work on cancer research was heavily stressed in the announcement of her nomination.
“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,” Biden said.