RADM Helena O. Mishoe, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
Chief Scientist Officer
RADM (sel) Helena O. Mishoe grew up in the rural town of Georgetown, DE, and attended segregated schools up to the last years of high school. Currently, she serves racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities by serving as the first director, for the Office of Minority Health Affairs at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). She works to ensure a future diverse research workforce in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. She has always been fascinated with science, saying "Science allows me to ask questions and design experiments to find answers. It's the fascination of inquiry."
RADM (sel) Mishoe leads and coordinates U.S. Public Health Service scientist category as the chief professional officer, for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services, advising the Surgeon General and the Scientist Professional Advisory Committee on the recruitment, assignment, deployment, retention, and career development of U.S. Public Health Service scientists.
In 1981, she joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intramural research teams and moved up the research ranks as staff fellow, senior staff fellow, and expert in molecular biology and gene expression research areas. She joined the extramural program in the NHLBI at NIH in 1988 and joined the Commissioned Corps in 1990.
Over the past decade, RADM (sel) Mishoe developed and implemented important scientific programs in stem cell biology and transplantation for the NHLBI. She spearheaded the first extramural research grant portfolio focused on developing less toxic approaches associated with transplantation for patients with sickle cell anemia. Overall, her efforts have resulted in ten of millions of dollars being invested into new and innovative scientific research directions.
Devoted to the Commissioned Corps, RADM(sel) Mishoe says, "When I wake up in the morning, I feel honored to be a member of a group of officers that value integrity, respect, and are committed to the health and safety of all people in the country. Our goal is to help people live longer, happier, healthier lives."
RADM(sel) Mishoe received a bachelor of science in biology from the Delaware State University, a doctorate in microbiology from the Georgetown University School of Medicine, and a master of public health from the Uniformed Services School of Medicine.
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