NIAID appoints new acting director after weekslong questions over leadership
statnews.com • • health
Key Points:
- John Powers III has been appointed as the acting director of the National Institutes of Health's infectious disease institute following the departure of previous director Jeffery Taubenberger.
- Powers, formerly a senior adviser and deputy to Taubenberger at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, steps in amid a period of leadership uncertainty.
- The institute, NIH’s second-largest with $6.5 billion in funding, has lacked permanent leadership since March after the removal of Jeanne Marrazzo.
- Recent reassignments of other senior leaders have raised concerns among lawmakers about the institute's capacity to address emerging infectious threats such as hantavirus and Ebola.
- NIH staff were informed of Powers’ appointment via email, highlighting his extensive experience in clinical infectious diseases, research, regulatory science, and public health leadership.