Francis S. Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has named Richard Nakamura the new Director for the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR). Dr. Nakamura has been with the NIH for the past 32 years and has served as acting director since September 2011. In his new position he will have authority over CSR's 450 scientists and administrative staff in their efforts to manage 80,000 incoming NIH grant applications a year.
Dr. Nakamura joined NIH in 1976 as a postdoctoral fellow. He later coordinated the National Institute of Mental Health's Biobehavorial Progam and was then named Chief of its Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch and served as the Institute's Deputy Director. From 2007–2011, he was the Institute Scientific Director. He has also served as Associate Director for Science Policy and Program Planning; Chief, Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch; and Coordinator, ADAMHA Office of Animal Research Issues.
His areas of expertise include cognitive and comparative neuroscience, science policy/funding, and ethics in science. Dr. Nakamura has a PhD in Psychology from the State University of New York in Stony Brook.