Monica Bertagnolli Confirmed as NIH Director

Monica Bertagnolli, MD, began her role as the 17th director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) this week, after a U.S. Senate confirmation. President Biden announced Dr. Bertagnolli as his nominee to lead the NIH in May.

As director, Dr. Bertagnolli will lead the world’s largest public funder of biomedical and behavioral research and oversee NIH’s $47 billion budget. She currently serves as the director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), one of the 27 institutes and centers that make up NIH. Her accomplishments during her tenure at NCI include improving the efficiency, inclusivity, and speed of clinical trials, increasing overall data sharing and utilization, and implementing pragmatic approaches to study design.

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) sent a letter of support for Dr. Bertagnolli’s nomination to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in September, and also joined 115 other organizations in a letter of support.

ACR worked with Dr. Bertagnolli during her tenure as NCI director. She is directly involved with radiology and imaging tools, as they are necessary and highly utilized in NCI research. ACR will continue to encourage imaging as a priority in Dr. Bertagnolli’s role as NIH director.

For more information, contact Katie Grady, ACR Government Affairs Director.