WASHINGTON—December 20—Research!America's CEO Mary Woolley responds to President-elect Obama's announcement of physicist John Holdren, MS, PhD, professor of environmental policy and science at Harvard University, as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology (PCAST), and of Harold Varmus, MD, and Eric Lander, PhD, also as co-chairs of PCAST:
"Research!America is pleased with the selection of John Holdren as the head of OSTP and chief science adviser to the new president. Dr. Holdren is a respected figure in science and policy, nationally and internationally. He is a leader on issues related to global warming, which threatens the health of people everywhere. He is an exemplary researcher who brings an understanding of issues that span many scientific disciplines, including energy, the environment and health-areas that affect all of our lives.
"The choice of Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Harold Varmus and of Eric Lander, who was so central to the international Human Genome Project, adds two visionaries in life sciences. As NIH director (1993-1999), Dr. Varmus was pivotal in making the case to policymakers that led to doubling of the agency's budget. He remains an influential and steadfast champion for research. Dr. Lander is one of the world's foremost scientists in genomics, a field that is critical to the future of medical research.
"Research!America looks forward to working with all the new president's science advisers in the coming months and years to make medical and health research a higher priority, for the nation's health and the health of our economy."
Research!America is the nation's largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. Founded in 1989, Research!America is supported by 500 member organizations that represent the voices of 125 million Americans. Visit www.researchamerica.org.
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