Francis Collins to Step Down as NIH Director

Francis S. Collins, the scientist who led the Human Genome Project, has announced that he will retire from his 12-year post as leader of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at the end of 2021. Appointed in 2009 by President Barack Obama, he is NIH’s longest-serving director.

“It’s been a privilege & honor to serve as NIH Director for over 12 years,” he said on his Twitter feed. “However, I believe no person should hold this position for too long. So, with deep gratitude to this great agency & the people who carry out its mission, I’ve decided to step down.”

From 1993-2008, Collins directed the National Human Genome Research Institute, where he succeeded James D. Watson as leader of the international Human Genome Project. In 2003, the project finished its mapping of the human genome.

Collins has been very active in COVID-19 research and response, including launching the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines public-private partnership.