White House close to tapping new NIH director — cancer leader Monica Bertagnolli

In a hotly anticipated decision, the White House plans to nominate Monica Bertagnolli, the current head of the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), to lead the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to a Wall Street Journal report .

If confirmed by the US Senate, Bertagnolli will take over the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, with a budget of over $47 billion. The decision comes nearly a year and a half after geneticist Francis Collins, who helmed the agency for more than 12 years, stepped down in December 2021.

“I don’t think there could be a better choice for this role,” says Suzanne George, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts who has worked with Bergnatolli. “As a leader, she brings people together to tackle new challenges in novel, innovative and inclusive ways.”

After serving a brief 6-month stint as the first female NCI director, Bertagnolli would be the second permanent female director of the NIH if she is confirmed.

In December, Bertagnolli announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. At the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Orlando, Florida this week, Bertagnolli said that her treatment had gone well and that her prognosis is “incredibly good”. “It’s not a walk in the park,” she said of the experience. “But I’ve had tremendous support.” Bertagnolli also noted that she participated in a clinical trial to develop a new diagnostic testing approach.

The White House and Bertagnolli did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The NIH referred Nature to the White House for comment.

This is a developing story and will be further updated.