Dr. Norman Sharpless will step down from his position as director of the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) on April 29.
Dr. Norman Sharpless. Image courtesy of the NCI.Principal Deputy Director Dr. Douglas Lowy will serve as acting director as of April 30, the institute said.
Sharpless has held the director position at NCI since 2017. During his tenure, he developed data science programs such as the Childhood Cancer Initiative and led the creation of the NCI's Equity and Inclusion program.
He also served as Acting Commissioner for Food and Drugs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for seven months in 2019, the NCI noted.
"Working at the National Cancer Institute has been the highlight of my career, and I am honored to have had the chance to serve my country in this role, alongside so many talented scientists and administrators," Sharpless said in a statement released by the NCI.
