David A. Schwartz, M.D., to Join NIH in May

National Institutes of Health Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., today confirmed that David A. Schwartz, M.D., who was named new director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) on October 25, 2004, will begin his appointment on Monday, May 23.

"I am very much looking forward to David joining us," Dr. Zerhouni said. "I am pleased that we have been able to conclude his recruitment and address his concerns regarding the interim rules on stock divestitures. When I speak of NIH's need to attract the best and the brightest scientists, David is a prime example of the scientist I am talking about. He is one of the world's outstanding researchers in environmental health."

"I am honored to step into the leadership of the NIEHS and look forward to the work ahead," said Dr. Schwartz. "My concerns about the conflict of interest rules have been heard and are being seriously considered and addressed. I will work with Dr. Zerhouni and others at the NIH to ensure the careful handling of real conflicts of interests among our employees, while treating all of our employees reasonably and fairly."

Dr. Schwartz is currently director of the Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Medicine at Duke University. At Duke, Dr. Schwartz played a principal role in developing three interdisciplinary Centers in Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Genomics, and Environmental Asthma.

As NIEHS director, Dr. Schwartz will oversee a $711 million budget that funds multidisciplinary biomedical research programs, prevention, and intervention efforts that encompass training, education, technology transfer, and community outreach. NIEHS is located in Research Triangle Park, near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. NIEHS currently supports more than 850 research grants.

Dr. Schwartz received his B.A. Degree in Biology from the University of Rochester in 1975, his M.D. from the University of California-San Diego in 1979, and his M.P.H. from Harvard School of Public Health in 1985.

Dr. Schwartz is a co-author of more than 150 research papers, 38 book chapters, and a textbook. He has served on numerous study sections, is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of the American Physicians, and in 2003, received the American Thoracic Society Scientific Achievement Award.

NIEHS has supported Dr. Schwartz's research since 1990.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The mission of NIEHS is to reduce the burden of human illness and dysfunction from environmental causes by understanding each of these elements and how they interrelate. More information about NIEHS can be found at http://www.niehs.nih.gov.

The National Toxicology Program serves the federal regulatory health agencies with its findings and the publication of the federal Report on Carcinogens, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The NIH comprises the Office of the Director and 27 Institutes and Centers and investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. The Office of the Director is the central office at NIH, and is responsible for setting policy for NIH and for planning, managing, and coordinating the programs and activities of all the NIH components. The NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.