NIH Faces Widespread Interim Leadership Across Institutes

Leadership transitions have resulted in many National Institutes of Health (NIH) divisions being overseen by acting directors rather than permanent appointees. This situation has developed over the past year as several institute heads have departed or retired.

By early 2026, acting directors were in place at more than half of the NIH’s 27 institutes and centers. This pattern followed a series of leadership changes, including retirements and non-reappointments, which led to a growing number of interim appointments.

Gary Gibbons, who served as director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, announced his retirement effective January 31, 2026. Following his departure, David Goff was named as acting director for the institute.

Walter Koroshetz, who led the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, was not reappointed and subsequently left his role. This change contributed to the number of NIH divisions operating under interim leadership, with about half of the divisions affected by late 2025.

What the numbers show

• As of December 18, 2025, 13 NIH institutes and centers were under interim leadership
• NIH consists of 27 institutes and centers in total
• Six new acting institute directors were announced by NIH in April 2025

In April 2025, NIH announced the appointment of six new acting directors to fill vacancies created by the departures of previous leaders. These appointments were part of ongoing efforts to maintain leadership continuity across the organization.

Vence L. Bonham Jr. was named acting director of the National Human Genome Research Institute after Eric D. Green left the position in March 2025. This change was one of several that led to the increased number of interim leaders at NIH institutes.

The trend of appointing acting directors has continued as additional institute heads have departed. The succession of acting directors is documented in NIH’s official listings and announcements throughout 2025 and early 2026.

NIH’s leadership structure as of early 2026 reflects a period of transition, with multiple institutes and centers managed by interim appointees while permanent directors have yet to be named.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.