NIH reportedly loses two top leaders in two days
NIH Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak told staffers in an email Tuesday that he was retiring effective immediately, according to CBS News. Along with being principal deputy director, Tabak also served as the agency's deputy ethics counselor, having held both roles since 2010.
Tabak temporarily served as acting head of NIH between December 2021 and November 2023, after the institute's former director Francis Collins stepped down.
As CBS reported, Tabak had not been expected to retire until the fall but told a colleague that he felt it was necessary to retire at this time.
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Just a day after Tabak's abrupt retirement, it was reported that Michael Lauer, deputy director of the National Institutes of Health's extramural research, will be leaving the agency at the end of the week.
According to STAT, acting NIH director Matthew Memoli informed staff in an email of Lauer's departure, thanking him for his 'exemplary service to NIH and the American people.'
The Hill has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House for comment.
These departures are occurring as the NIH is currently undergoing significant upheaval. Last week the agency issued an order slashing federal funding for research projects, alarming lawmakers, universities and institutions across the country. The order has been stayed, though biomedical researchers remain wary for the future.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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