Indian-American health researcher Jay Bhattacharya officially assumed office as the 18th director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on April 1.
His appointment came after being nominated by President Donald Trump on November 26, 2024, and later confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 25.
As the head of the nation’s premier medical research agency, Bhattacharya will oversee NIH’s scientific programs while ensuring alignment with the administration’s Make America Healthy Again Commission.
“Under Dr. Bhattacharya’s leadership, NIH will restore its commitment to gold-standard science,” stated Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He further expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with Bhattacharya to ensure NIH’s research priorities reflect the administration’s goals. “I’m excited to work with Dr. Bhattacharya to ensure NIH research aligns with our administration’s priorities—especially tackling the chronic disease epidemic and helping to Make America Healthy Again.”
Bhattacharya underscored the importance of tackling chronic illnesses in the U.S. “Chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity continue to cause poor health outcomes in every community across the United States,” he noted.
He also emphasized his commitment to advancing medical research. “As NIH director, I will build on the agency’s long and illustrious history of supporting breakthroughs in biology and medicine by fostering gold-standard research and innovation to address the chronic disease crisis,” he added.
A physician, researcher, and health economist, Bhattacharya previously held a tenured professor position at Stanford University. His research has primarily focused on aging and chronic diseases, particularly among vulnerable populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, which called for reopening schools and lifting lockdowns while prioritizing protections for older individuals.
Bhattacharya takes over the role from Matthew J. Memoli, who had been serving as acting NIH director since January 22.