Dr. Francis Collins is a renowned physician-scientist whose leadership has fundamentally shaped modern genetics and biomedical research. Born on April 14, 1950, in Staunton, Virginia, he earned his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Virginia, followed by a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Yale University, and an M.D. with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Collins served as Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health from 1993 to 2008 and as Director of the National Institutes of Health from 2009 to 2021, where he led the international Human Genome Project to its successful completion. His transition from hands-on genetic research to scientific leadership established him as a pivotal figure in the field of genomics and set the stage for his subsequent appointment as NIH director.
Under Dr. Collins' direction, the Human Genome Project successfully produced the first complete sequence of human DNA in April 2003, providing the foundational resource for understanding human biology and disease. His personal research laboratory made landmark discoveries of genes responsible for numerous conditions including cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, Huntington's disease, a familial endocrine cancer syndrome, and later type 2 diabetes and the gene causing Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. The comprehensive human genome sequence catalyzed a paradigm shift in medical research, enabling precision medicine approaches and transforming our understanding of human biology at the molecular level. Dr. Collins' work on identifying disease-causing genes has provided critical insights for developing targeted therapies and diagnostic tools that continue to benefit patients worldwide.
As the longest-serving director of the NIH across twelve years and three presidential administrations, Dr. Collins oversaw the world's largest supporter of biomedical research with an annual budget exceeding $40 billion. His leadership extended to numerous initiatives including the BRAIN Initiative and the All of Us Research Program, which aim to build diverse health databases for precision medicine. Recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2007, National Medal of Science, and Templeton Prize, Dr. Collins has also been a prominent voice in bridging science and faith through his writing and public engagement. Though retiring from NIH in 2021 and announcing his retirement on March 1, 2025, effective February 28, 2025, after 32 years of service at the NIH, joining in 1993 and retiring in 2025, Dr. Collins continues to influence biomedical research through his scholarship and advocacy for scientific integrity and discovery.
