Bettie Graham retires after more than 50 years of federal service
NIH has a new director (and I have a new boss)! Monica Bertagnolli, M.D., was sworn in as the 17th NIH director last month. Dr. Bertagnolli is a surgeon and a scientist with a research program that focused on how inflammation causes cancer. She is a champion of promoting diversity in research and medicine, modernizing tools for data analysis, and restoring trust in science. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with her as she leads the nation’s premiere biomedical research agency. Dr. Bertagnolli is transitioning from her role as director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a position she held since October 2022. Recently, the White House announced that President Biden intends to appoint W. Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D., as Dr. Bertagnolli’s successor as the NCI director.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress has not get passed a Fiscal Year 2024 budget, but we are “open for business” under a Continuing Resolution until February 2, 2024. The Continuing Resolution allows the federal government generally, and NHGRI specifically, to operate until a Fiscal Year 2024 budget is passed by Congress and signed by the president.
Lastly, I encourage you to join the National Association of Scholars on Tuesday, December 12, at 2 p.m. ET for "Unlocking the Genome: The Human Genome Project." The event will feature me, Aristides Patrinos, Ph.D., and Carlos Bustamante, Ph.D., and together we will discuss the history of the Human Genome Project and the impact it has had since its completion two decades ago.
All the best,
In This Issue
- Bettie Graham retires after more than 50 years of federal service
- NHGRI funds research centers to champion a diverse genomics research workforce
- American Journal of Human Genetics series recaps NHGRI’s Bold Predictions
- Learning series for healthcare professionals aims to increase pharmacogenomics literacy
- Eric Green featured in webinar about population genomics in clinical practice
Genomic Research Spotlight
A genome catalog of the early-life human skin microbiome
Shen et al.
Genome Biol. 2023 Nov 10;24(1):252. PMID: 37946302
Since the moment of birth, every person has abundant microbes on their skin. Just like one’s gut microbiome, these microbes play important roles in an individual’s health and wellbeing. Yet, most microbiome studies are performed on samples from adults, and very little is known about how microbiomes change throughout a person’s life. NHGRI investigator Julie Segre, Ph.D., and her research group sequenced DNA samples from the skin of over 200 babies to learn about infants’ microbial communities. From these data, the researchers created a catalog of over 1,000 species of bacteria and fungi, some of which were not previously known to be part of human skin microbiomes. The researchers also analyzed the genomes of these species to determine what proteins they encode, which is an important step towards understanding the functions of microbiomes residing in the skin of different species. DNA samples obtained from the skin of the parents showed notable microbiome sharing with their respective babies. These data can help inform additional microbiome research, especially research that examines skin disorders affecting infants.
This research was supported by the NHGRI Intramural Research Program and was performed in the laboratory of Julie Segre, Ph.D.
About The Genomics Landscape
A monthly update from the NHGRI Director on activities and accomplishments from the institute and the field of genomics.
Last updated: December 7, 2023