The National Institutes of Health is searching for a new associate director to lead the agency’s biomedical research data initiatives such as genomics, imaging, and electronic health records.
NIH said Eric Green, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, is serving as associate director for data science on an acting basis.
A working group launched to examine data and informatics in biomedical research recommended the agency created a new data science-focused position in June 2012.
“There is an urgent need and increased opportunities for advanced collaboration and coordination of access to, and analysis of, the rapidly expanding collections of biomedical data,” said Dr. Francis Collins, NIH director. “NIH aims to play a catalytic lead role in addressing these complex issues — not only internally, but also with stakeholders in the research community, other government agencies, and private organizations involved in scientific data generation, management, and analysis.”
Green, named head of the NHGRI in 2009, helped lead the Human Genome Project and the agency said he also led efforts to map, sequence, and understand eukaryotic genomes.
