NHGRI appoints Dr. Jennifer Troyer as incoming director of the Division of Extramural Operations

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of NIH, has appointed Dr. Jennifer Troyer as the incoming director of the Division of Extramural Operations (DEO) within NHGRI’s Extramural Research Program (ERP). As DEO director, she will provide leadership in coordinating the institute’s extramural research grants, operations and policies. NHGRI's ERP reviews and manages external funding for scientific programs that support the institute’s mission to use genomics to advance human health.

Dr. Jennifer L. Troyer, Director, Divsion of Extramural Operations, NHGRI. Credit: Ernesto del Aguila III, NHGRI.  

Dr. Troyer brings 10 years of experience as a program director within the Division of Genome Sciences in NHGRI’s ERP, during which time she managed grant portfolios focused on comparative genomics and methods for understanding genome structure and function. As a program director, she also provided key leadership for the NIH Common Fund’s Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative, co-managed the Genotype-Tissue Expression (dGTEx) program and served as the institute’s contact for the National Science Foundation’s Enabling Discovery through Genomics (EDGE) program.

The Division of Extramural Operations has the responsibility of ensuring that the extramural research community is served to the best of our collective abilities. I am excited to have the opportunity to use my skills and experiences to lead the division and help the community adapt to the evolving landscape of genomics and NIH extramural policies.

"Jennifer is a skilled strategic planner and innovative thinker with a wealth of programmatic experience,” says Eric Green, M.D., Ph.D., director of NHGRI. “The combination of her expertise and her experience leading novel research programs at both national and international levels has been paramount to the success of many NHGRI and NIH programs. I am confident that she will be outstanding in her new role leading our Division of Extramural Operations.”

DEO oversees numerous activities that include advising the NHGRI director on extramural research grants, coordinating program actions and policies, leading grants management activities and managing institute-specific extramural services and activities. The division also oversees initial scientific merit review of applications and proposals, trains extramural staff and ensures standardized and coordinated approaches to extramural policies, methods and procedures.

Dr. Troyer’s vision is to provide transparency across ERP and to other divisions, ensure integrity and fairness in the review process and facilitate communication among the various branches and divisions at the institute. She aims to support grant management practices and provide a space for innovation to allow the genomics field to continue flourishing.

“The Division of Extramural Operations has the responsibility of ensuring that the extramural research community is served to the best of our collective abilities,” says Dr. Troyer. “I am excited to have the opportunity to use my skills and experiences to lead the division and help the community adapt to the evolving landscape of genomics and NIH extramural policies.”

Dr. Troyer has worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion throughout her career. In addition to being the NIH lead for H3Africa, she served as the NHGRI representative on NIH’s Coordinating Committee on Women’s Health and helped to develop the current Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women’s Health Research. Dr. Troyer also participated in a workshop led by Alaska Native people that discussed socially responsible genomics research and helped write the resulting publication. She continues to serve on NIH’s Working Group on Women in Biomedical Research.

Prior to joining NHGRI, Dr. Troyer had experience directing a research program at NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI), studying the genetics and evolution of viral-host interactions. She also served at NCI as a senior scientist in charge of genetic and genomic technology development at their Advanced Technology Research Facility. Dr. Troyer did a postdoctoral research fellowship at NCI and at Colorado State University. She earned her B.A. in biology from Earlham College and her Ph.D. in genetics from the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Troyer began her role as incoming director on July 30, 2023 and will work in partnership with outgoing director Bettie Graham, Ph.D., who will be retiring in December after over 50 years in federal service. This will ensure a smooth transition of this critical leadership position for NHGRI.