Richard L. Nahin, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Senior Advisor for Scientific Coordination and Outreach
Acting Director, Division of Extramural Research
Richard L. Nahin, Ph.D., M.P.H., is NCCAM's Senior Advisor for Scientific Coordination and Outreach. As Senior Advisor, he provides guidance and leadership on immediate and long-range research objectives and promotes coordination and effectiveness among Federal agencies and lay and professional organizations concerned with CAM research, research training, and information dissemination. Dr. Nahin is also currently the Acting Director of the Division of Extramural Research.
Dr. Nahin received his undergraduate degree in psychology in 1979, and his doctorate in neuroscience in 1985 both from the University of California at Los Angeles. He also received a master's in public health, specializing in epidemiology, in 1997 from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is currently working on his master's in clinical research through the joint NIH-Duke University Clinical Research Training Program.
Beginning his NIH career in 1985 as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Neurobiology and Anesthesiology Branch of the then National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR), Dr. Nahin was progressively promoted to the position of senior staff fellow in 1991. After leaving NIDR, Dr. Nahin joined the National Center for Research Resources as a Scientific Review Administrator, where he remained for three years.
Dr. Nahin came to NCCAM (then the Office of Alternative Medicine) in 1996 as a Program Officer for Extramural Activities. He continued in this role until early 1999, when he was appointed Acting Director of NCCAM's Division of Extramural Research and Training. Dr. Nahin was later appointed as Director of the Division, as well as Executive Secretary for the National Advisory Council on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the Cancer Advisory Panel for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, positions he held until 2001 when he took on his current role as Senior Advisor.
In 2000, Dr. Nahin received the NIH Director's Award for his contributions toward the transformation of the Office of Alternative Medicine into NCCAM. In addition, he received the NIH Merit Award in 1998. He is the author or co-author of numerous scientific publications.
