Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Jayanta "Jay" Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., became the 18th director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on April 1, 2025. Nominated by President Trump on November 26, 2024, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 25, 2025.
Dr. Bhattacharya is a physician, researcher, and health economist, previously a tenured professor at Stanford University’s medical school. His research has focused on population aging, chronic diseases, and the health of vulnerable groups. He has authored more than 170 peer-reviewed articles and a leading health economics textbook.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhattacharya coauthored the Great Barrington Declaration, advocating for school reopenings and targeted protection for older populations. He has held academic appointments at Stanford and worked with the RAND Corporation and the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Dr. Bhattacharya holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics, a medical degree, and a Ph.D. in economics, all from Stanford University. He has also been a longstanding NIH grantee and served on multiple NIH review committees.