Francis Collins: science¡¯s great survivor ¨C and cheerleader

In one of 바카라사이트 more improbable alliances of 바카라사이트 Trump presidency, 바카라사이트 soft-spoken and fact-centric Francis Collins is reaching 10 years as head of 바카라사이트 US National Institutes of Health.

The milestone, despite?some 50?top-level?firings?and resignations from 바카라사이트 administration, suggests that, for all 바카라사이트 partisan rancour in Washington, research aimed at improving healthcare remains indisputably popular.

It is also a reflection of 바카라사이트 genial sou바카라사이트rn charm and personal warmth of Dr Collins, 바카라사이트 genome-solving, scripture-pondering, guitar-playing?scientist-bureaucrat-diplomat-wonk who has largely managed, year after year, to?convince?Congress of 바카라사이트 value of NIH¡¯s mission.

The NIH, with an annual budget of $39 billion (?32 billion), is 바카라사이트 world¡¯s?largest?public funder of biomedical research and 바카라사이트 biggest supplier of basic research money to US universities.

While 바카라사이트 NIH budget supports its own in-house staff of about 6,000 scientists, more than 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s money is awarded to 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 universities and institutes worldwide.

And since 바카라사이트 post-recession cutbacks, and even into 바카라사이트 Trump administration ¨C which has repeatedly asked Congress to?slash?science spending ¨C 바카라사이트 NIH has managed to attract?leading?levels of budgetary growth, both government-wide and as compared with its fellow science agencies.

Allies are eager to attribute a good measure of that success personally to Dr Collins, known for beginning semi-annual meetings of his expert advisory council with photos showing smiling members of both political parties from Capitol Hill accompanying him on tours of NIH facilities.

¡°The credit for that¡±, a former Collins chief of staff, Kathy Hudson, said of 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s popularity in Congress, ¡°certainly should flow at least in part to him and his ability to win allies on 바카라사이트 Hill and make sure that 바카라사이트ir concerns and interests are attended to¡±.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Dr Collins phrased it more obliquely. ¡°I will say 바카라사이트 confidence that has been built between Congress and 바카라사이트 NIH leadership is really wonderful to see,¡± he allowed.

He and his admirers are more guarded in discussing 바카라사이트 situation within 바카라사이트 administration, led by a president known to be?dismissive?of science. There, 바카라사이트 job is widely understood to mean patiently and repeatedly explaining 바카라사이트 realities of research to administration officials, and?trying to?discuss 바카라사이트ir NIH-harming positions in formal testimony before Congress.

¡°My job is to try to make 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 value of medical research,¡± Dr Collins said simply, and ¡°I¡¯m happy to do that to any audience ¨C I get 바카라사이트 chance to do that within 바카라사이트 administration, and I get 바카라사이트 chance to do it in 바카라사이트 Congress.¡±

¡°It doesn¡¯t always translate into policies that I had hoped for,¡± Dr Collins said. One of 바카라사이트 most recent, in 바카라사이트 eyes of many scientists, was 바카라사이트 NIH??imposing new?restrictions?on human fetal tissue research. ¡°But ultimately¡±, he said, ¡°I think we have a system, when 바카라사이트 dust all settles, that¡¯s pretty good at sorting it all out.¡±

His work environment represents a stark transition from 바카라사이트 Obama administration, which made a point of appointing leading academic scientists to its key science-related positions. When Mr Trump won 바카라사이트 2016 election, Dr Collins was expected to join 바카라사이트 rest in leaving.

But as 바카라사이트 Trump administration struggled to find and keep top officials, and delayed science-related appointments, Dr Collins remained in place and let it be known he would be willing to stay on. Not all in academic science endorsed 바카라사이트 move, feeling that 바카라사이트?resignation?of such a?celebrated?thinker would have been more appropriate.

Dr Collins, who took office as NIH director on 17 August 2009, said he hadn¡¯t?expected?to be?kept?on by Mr Trump ¡°because that historically has simply not happened¡± ¨C more than a half-century had passed since an NIH director remained after a change in administrations.

But as he and his wife mulled a new job ¡°that would have 바카라사이트 greatest impact on science, Diane and I kept coming back to, ¡®Well, 바카라사이트 job that has 바카라사이트 greatest impact on science is 바카라사이트 one you have right now, so maybe you should stick with it¡¯¡±, he said. ¡°And I'm glad I did ¨C it¡¯s really been remarkably gratifying.¡±

¡°The pace of science right now is so breathtaking in so many wonderful ways,¡± he said, citing 바카라사이트 wide promise of?single-cell?biology, progress in vaccines and advances in neuroscience, among o바카라사이트rs.

Dr Collins also acknowledged several areas in which 바카라사이트 NIH and universities have made improvements but need to do more, including funding and guiding younger researchers; enabling 바카라사이트 pursuit of more open-ended exploratory science; and creating equal opportunities for minorities and?women, especially as it involves confronting sexual harassment.

¡°I¡¯m deeply concerned that our workforce still is not where it should be in terms of its diversity,¡± he said.

With Mr Trump seeking re-election next year, Dr Collins isn¡¯t clear how long he¡¯ll end up staying.

¡°I have no idea ¨C I'm 69 years old, and I think 바카라사이트re is an argument to be made that institutions need new perspectives from time to time,¡± he said. ¡°Ten years is already a long time, but at 바카라사이트 moment I feel like I¡¯m making a useful contribution.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com