The following is a statement from Association of American Universities President Barbara R. Snyder regarding the confirmation of Jay Bhattacharya as director of the National Institutes of Health:
We congratulate Jay Bhattacharya on his confirmation by the Senate to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We are grateful that NIH will have a leader who recognizes that “[t]he NIH is the crown jewel of American biomedical science” and who believes that its mission “is vital to our country’s future and, indeed, the world’s,” as he said himself, in the opening statement from his Senate confirmation hearing earlier this month. We look forward to working closely with Director Bhattacharya to ensure that NIH continues to be the preeminent biomedical research engine in the world. Every day, NIH provides support for groundbreaking research – much of it conducted by our member universities – that leads to cures and treatments for previously chronic or terminal medical conditions, vaccines to prevent infectious diseases, and better health outcomes for all Americans. We cannot guarantee those advances will continue without robust leadership for NIH and the university-based research it supports, and we look forward to working with Director Bhattacharya.
Founded in 1900, the Association of American Universities is composed of America’s leading research universities. AAU’s 71 research universities transform lives through education, research, and innovation.
Our member universities earn the majority of competitively awarded federal funding for research that improves public health, seeks to address national challenges, and contributes significantly to our economic strength, while educating and training tomorrow’s visionary leaders and innovators.
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