NIH head Collins steps down, led fight against cancer, COVID

By DINO HAZELL
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis S. Collins, says he’s stepping down. Collins has led the research center for 12 years. He has directed research into the human genome and the fight against serious diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and COVID-19. The 71-year-old Collins says “it’s time to bring in a new scientist to lead the NIH into the future.” President Barack Obama selected Collins as director in 2009. Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden asked Collins to remain in the job. The Bethesda, Maryland-based NIH is the nation’s medical research agency and operates more than two dozen institutes and centers.