In a unanimous vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Francis Collins as the next director of the National Institutes of Health, according to HHS.
A physician-geneticist known for his discoveries of disease genes and his leadership on the Human Genome Project, Collins served as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH from 1993 until 2008. Under his direction, the international project to sequence the human genome was
completed two years ahead of schedule—and under budget—in April 2003. In 2007, Collins was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award that recognizes meritorious service.
An author of books on personalized medicine and the relationship between science and faith, Collins earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry at the University of Virginia and a doctorate in physical chemistry from Yale University. He earned his medical degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina.
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