April 26, 2011
Dr. Peter Hotez, the president of Sabin Vaccine Institute, was appointed as a member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Council of Councils today. He will advise the NIH Director on cutting edge, trans-NIH priorities and matters related to policies and activities of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI).
“The Sabin Vaccine Institute is proud of Dr. Hotez’s extensive record of innovation in global health and poverty alleviation. His appointment to the National Institutes of Health Council of Councils serves as a testament to the prominent role that he has played in developing vaccines and advocating for the prevention of neglected tropical diseases that affect nearly 1.4 billion people worldwide,” said Michael W. Marine, Sabin Chief Executive Officer.
The NIH Council of Councils is made up of 27 members selected from the NIH Institute and Center (IC) advisory councils and the Council of Public Representatives, an advisory committee to the NIH Office of the Director. Council members bring their knowledge of their individual IC missions and operations, not as official representatives, but to provide advice beyond the research agenda of any one IC.
Dr. Hotez said of the appointment, “I’m honored to be joining the esteemed National Institutes of Health Council of Councils and look forward to working with its members to advance public health initiatives, particularly as they relate to needed advances in vaccine research and development.”
DPCPSI, in the office of the NIH Director, identifies emerging scientific opportunities, rising public health challenges, and scientific knowledge gaps that merit further research. The division plans and implements trans-NIH initiatives supported by the NIH Common Fund and coordinates research related to AIDS, behavioral and social sciences, women’s health, and disease prevention.
“The wealth of expertise brought by these individuals will enhance the Council’s ability to achieve its mission by offering a diversity of perspectives and talents. Collectively, the Council will inform our approach to broad research initiatives shared across NIH and not limited to a single IC,” said DPCPSI Director, James M. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D.