Indian-American scientist Jay Bhattacharya has been appointed as the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the leading health research and funding body in the United States. He was nominated as the 18th NIH Director in November last year by then-President-elect Donald Trump.
A Stanford University professor specialised in Health Policy, Bhattacharya secured the position with a vote count of 53-47 during the initial roll call session of the 119th Congress on Tuesday, as per the official US Senate website.
US Senator from Kentucky Mitch McConnell took to X and said, “Voted today to confirm Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. With an extensive background in medical research, I expect @DrJBhattacharya to provide sound leadership at the @NIH.”
In his new role, Bhattacharya will collaborate with the newly appointed US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr to elevate the NIH back to its position as the premier institution for medical research, said the website, according to news agency ANI.
In a statement on Tuesday, Stanford Medicine “proudly” congratulated Bhattacharya on his appointment and called his commitment to public service “commendable”. “As an institution, we are staunch supporters of the NIH’s mission, which continues to advance the frontiers of medical knowledge and unlock new possibilities for health improvement,” it said.
