The National Cancer Institute has named Douglas Lowy, MD, acting director. Dr. Lowy has served as NCI's deputy director since July 2010, during which time he helped lead NCI's key scientific initiatives.
NCI is one of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health. It leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH's efforts to reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families through research and the development of new interventions.
Dr. Lowy has worked as a cancer researcher for more than 40 years. In 2014 he was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Barack Obama for his research that led to the development of the human papillomavirus vaccine.
As chief of laboratory of cellular oncology in the Center for Cancer Research at NCI, Dr. Lowy's research includes the biology of papillomaviruses and the regulation of normal and neoplastic growth. Dr. Lowy is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, as well as the Institute of Medicine of the NAS.