Skip Over Navigation Links

The NIH Director

Articles

The Next Generation of Obesity Research: No Time to Waste External Web Site Policy

NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin Rodgers address the importance of research in developing practical and effective strategies to reverse the Nation's obesity epidemic. JAMA. 2012; 308(11):1095-1096. Read More

An illustration of scales.

NIH Basics External Web Site Policy

NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins on NIH's support for basic research. Read his editorial on the importance of funding basic research and why it is the engine that powers tomorrow’s therapeutic discoveries. Science, Vol. 337, August 3, 2012.
Read More

Cover of Scientific American magazine.

The Real Promise of Mobile Health Apps External Web Site Policy

Mobile devices have the potential to become powerful medical tools A commentary from NIH Director Francis Collins on mobile health technology and how it can benefit both patients and researchers. Scientific American, July 2012 Online Issue, June 24, 2012. Read More

Colored transmission electron micrograph of H5N1 avian influenza virus particles.

Benefits and Risks of Influenza Research External Web Site Policy

Policy Forum: Benefits and Risks of Influenza Research: Lessons Learned
(Science, June 22, 2012)
Read More

Photo of the cover of Stem Cells Translationa Medicine.

Steering a New Course for Stem Cell Research: NIH's Intramural Center for Regenerative Medicine

NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Mahendra S. Rao, director for the new NIH Intramural Center for Regenerative Medicine, discuss the role the new center will play for the future of stem cell research. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Vol. 1, January 2012. Read More (PDF - 291 KB)

Mapping the NIH Leadership’s DNA External Web Site Policy

NIH Director Dr. Collins on innovation in Federal leadership. Washington Post Federal Coach, October 19, 2011.
Read More

Photo showing a Peruvian woman and cookstove pollution in a Peruvian home.

A Major Environmental Cause of Death External Web Site Policy

NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and three fellow NIH experts discuss the effects of household stoves. Read their commentary on one of the leading causes of indoor air pollution that affects nearly half the world's population. Science, Vol. 334, October 14, 2011. Read More

The Importance of Clinical Trials, From NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins

Dr. Francis Collins discusses the potential benefit of clinical trials to medical research aimed at improving human health. NIH Medline Plus the Magazine, Summer 2011.
Read More (PDF - 176 KB)

Broadening Our Global Health Vision, from NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins

Dr. Francis Collins discusses the need to apply scientific innovation to global health research. Huffington Post, June 15, 2011
Read More

The Promise and Payoff of Rare Diseases Research, From NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins

The study of the more than 6,000 known rare diseases not only can improve understanding of those disorders, but may also shed new light on hundreds of more common diseases. Dr. Francis Collins discusses the increasing promise of genetics research for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of both rare and common diseases. NIH Medline Plus the Magazine, Spring 2011. Read More

Photo of Dr. Francis Collins exercising.

Change Your Lifestyle, Save Your Life?

Drawing on NIH research and his own experience, Dr. Francis Collins shares how some relatively simple changes in diet and exercise may lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Arrive, May-June 2011.
Read More (PDF - 221 KB)

Interview with Dr. Francis Collins, Head of the National Institutes of Health External Web Site Policy

Dr. Francis Collins discusses a variety of topics including whole genome sequencing, NIH’s efforts in global health research, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).  Yale Journal of Medicine and Law, Vol. VII, Issue 2, Spring, 2011 Read More

Mobile Technology and Health Care, From NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins

The use of mobile technologies for health research and healthcare delivery is rapidly expanding. Dr. Francis Collins discusses the impact of these cell phone technologies on global health and how NIH is trying to bring medical information to the public. NIH Medline Plus the Magazine, Winter 2011. Read More

Photo of a nurse listening to a boy's chest with a stethoscope.

Faces of the Genome External Web Site Policy

To mark the 10th anniversary of the publication of the draft sequence of the human genome, NIH Director Francis Collins looks at how systematic genome-wide sequencing is beginning to be applied to individuals for medical purposes. Science, Vol. 331, February 4, 2011. Read More

An Audience with Francis Collins. External Web Site Policy

Dr. Francis Collins, Director of NIH, discusses translational medicine and NIH efforts to ‘de-risk’ drug development. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, Vol. 10, Issue 14, January 2011. Read More

The cover of Molecular Biology of the Cell

Change, Change, Change: Heeding the Call External Web Site Policy

NIH Director Francis Collins contemplates the future of the cell biology field and discusses the importance of collaboration in this rapidly expanding discipline. Molecular Biology of the Cell, Vol. 21, Issue 22, pp. 3793 – 3794, November 15, 2010. Read More

We must liberate our brightest minds to pursue high-risk, high-reward ideas.

Scientists Need a Shorter Path to Research Freedom

NIH Director Francis Collins explains why the NIH is launching a bid to help some doctoral students dramatically reduce the time required to start an independent career.
Nature
, Vol.467, 7 October 2010. Read More (PDF - 134 KB)

photo of Dr. Francis Collins

One Year at the Helm

Nature features Dr. Collins’ achievements and challenges in his first year as NIH director and highlights some of his strategies for the future biomedical research. Nature, Vol. 466, 12 August 2010, copyright Nature Publishing Group. Read More (PDF - 706 KB)

The Path to Personalized Medicine External Web Site Policy

Read the article on the future of personalized medicine in the New England Journal of Medicine by Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. and FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. July 22, 2010 (10.1056/NEJMp1006304) Read More

microscopic image of an oval-shaped nanoparticles with a honeycomb-like internal structure.

The Cancer You Can Beat

For an update on the techniques scientists are developing to detect and treat colorectal cancer, read a Parade article by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, The Cancer You Can Beat.(PDF - 667 KB)

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute: The Intersection of Science and Health Care External Web Site Policy

By NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., and AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy, M.D, Sci Transl Med, June 23, 2010.

Using Science to Improve the Nation's Health System: NIH's Commitment to Comparative Effectiveness Research

Read the commentary in the Journal of the American Medical Association on comparative effectiveness research (CER) and NIH’s leadership role by NIH Director Francis Collins and Dr. Michael Lauer. JAMA. 2010;303(21):2182-2183. Read More (PDF - 75KB)

cropped illustration of RNA

Genomic Medicine — An Updated Primer External Web Site Policy

Remarkable advances have been made in understanding the human genome's contribution to health and disease since the first Genomic Medicine series was launched.
Read More

Scanning electron micrograph of HIV particles infecting a human T cell.

AIDS in 2010: How We're Living with HIV

For an update on what medical science is doing to fight the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, read a Parade article by NIH Director Francis S. Collins and NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, AIDS in 2010: How We're Living with HIV. (PDF - 1.5 MB)

Managing Financial Conflict of Interest in Biomedical Research

Information about the Notice of Proposed Rule Making appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) commentary by NIH Director Francis Collins and Dr. Sally Rockey. JAMA. 2010;303(23). Read More (PDF - 75KB)

cropped image of a graph or chart

Has the revolution arrived?

Looking back over the past decade of human genomics, Francis Collins finds five key lessons for the future of personalized medicine — for technology, policy, partnerships and pharmacogenomics. Nature 464, 674-675 (1 April 2010) Read More (PDF - 249KB)

photo of a female scientist talking

Research Agenda: Opportunities for Research and NIH External Web Site Policy

The mission of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is science in pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to extend healthy life and to reduce the burdens of illness and disability.
Read More

cropped thumbnail image of a liver elastogram

Revealing the Body’s Deepest Secrets

For a look at how imaging technologies are helping to transform medicine, read a Parade article by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, Revealing the Body’s Deepest Secrets. (PDF - 973KB)

This page last reviewed on September 24, 2012

Social Media Links