Jay Bhattacharya takes office as 18th director of the National Institutes of Health

Press release

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Jay Bhattacharya, MD, Ph.D.

Jayanta “Jay” Bhattacharya, MD, Ph.D., assumed office today as the 18th^e Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). President Trump nominated Dr. Bhattacharya to this position on November 26, 2024, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him on March 25, 2025.

As Director, Dr. Bhattacharya will oversee the country's medical research agency. Dr. Bhattacharya will play a key role in shaping the agency's activities and outlook and ensuring that they are aligned with the Make America Healthy Again Commissionof the president.

“Under Dr. Bhattacharya’s leadership, NIH will reestablish its commitment to gold-standard science,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “I am pleased to work with Dr. Bhattacharya to ensure that NIH research aligns with our administration’s priorities, particularly addressing the chronic disease epidemic and contributing to ‘Make America Healthy Again.’”

“Chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity continue to drive poor health outcomes in communities across the United States. New biomedical discoveries that improve health and extend life are more vital than ever to our nation’s future,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “As NIH director, I will build on the agency’s long and illustrious history of supporting advances in biology and medicine by encouraging world-class research and innovation to address the chronic disease crisis.”

A renowned physician, researcher, and health economist, Dr. Bhattacharya held a tenured professorship at Stanford University School of Medicine in California. Dr. Bhattacharya's research focused on population aging and chronic disease, particularly the health and well-being of vulnerable populations. During the pandemic, Dr. Bhattacharya co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, which called for reopening schools and lifting lockdowns while providing greater protection to older populations, who are more vulnerable to disease.

Encouraging diversity of viewpoints will be central to Dr. Bhattacharya's approach to leading the NIH as part of his broader mission to restore public trust in science. Alongside Secretary Kennedy, he will champion innovative, cutting-edge research that fuels near-term solutions for patients while balancing investments in basic science.

Dr. Bhattacharya holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree in economics from Stanford University. He then completed medical school and earned a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University. He replaces Dr. Matthew J. Memoli, who has ably served as acting director of the NIH since January 22, 2025.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, comprises 27 institutes and centers and is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency that conducts and supports basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and studies the causes, treatments, and cures for common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH…Transforming Discovery into Health^®

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