Obama Picks Noted Cystic Fibrosis Researcher to Head NIH

Dr. Francis Collins is well known in the fibrosis community for the part he played in the discovery of the CFTR gene at the University of Michigan twenty years ago. Now, according to an Associated Press report, President Obama has named Dr. Collins as his choice to be the new head of the National Institutes of Health.

If Dr. Collins is confirmed by the Senate, the cystic fibrosis community will have a powerful advocate in Washington. The most obvious reason is that Dr. Collins is very aware of cystic fibrosis, and has dedicated many years to CF research. There is something that you may not know about Dr. Collins, though – something that could really make him an ace in the hole for those with CF.

In 2007, Dr. Collins wrote a book called “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief”. That’s right, Dr. Collins is a scientist and a Christian, and he believes that the two camps can and should coexist. He was among the supporters who were present in March when Obama signed an executive order in favor of stem cell research - - which some scientists believe could hold the cure to many diseases, including cystic fibrosis. But stem cell research has been stalled in recent years, largely because religion and science have not been able to find common ground in this area. Maybe Dr. Collins would be able to help us with that.

Photo © Getty Images

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Stay up to date:
Subscribe to the weekly CF newsletter.
Follow me on Twitter
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -