FNIH Board Elects Steven M. Paul, M.D., as New Chairman

Thomas R. Insel, M.D., and Paul Stoffels, M.D., Join Board as New Members

BETHESDA, MD, June 28, 2016 — The Board of Directors of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) has unanimously elected Board member Steven M. Paul, M.D., as the new Chairman. Dr. Paul’s term began immediately following the May 19, 2016 Board meeting. Dr. Paul succeeds Charles A. Sanders, M.D., who has served as Chairman since 1997 and will remain a member of the Board. In addition, Thomas R. Insel, M.D., and Paul Stoffels, M.D., were elected as new Board members.

“It is an honor to be selected as the next Chairman of the FNIH, knowing I will have large shoes to fill following Charlie’s dynamic leadership,” said Dr. Paul. “I am humbled by the trust shown by my fellow Board members and look forward to working with our talented staff to propel biomedical research and innovation that supports the NIH mission to benefit patients here and around the world.”

With a career that spans industry, government and academia, Dr. Paul has more than 35 years of experience in neuroscience, drug discovery and development. Dr. Paul is President and Chief Executive Officer at Voyager Therapeutics, Inc., as well as a Venture Partner at Third Rock Ventures. At Voyager, he leads the development of life-changing gene therapy treatments for fatal and debilitating diseases of the central nervous system. One of the most highly-cited neuroscientists in the world, Dr. Paul has authored more than 550 papers and book chapters.

“I am delighted to see Steve assume the role of Chairman at the Foundation,” said Dr. Sanders. “His breadth of experience, commitment to biomedical innovation and strong voice will guide the FNIH as it spearheads essential partnerships to enhance biomedical research.”

Prior to Voyager, Dr. Paul was the Founding Director of the Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, the Burton P. and Judith B. Resnick Distinguished Professor in Neurodegenerative Diseases and a DeWitt Senior Scholar and Professor of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Paul spent 17 years at Eli Lilly and Company, where he was President of the Lilly Research Laboratories. Prior to Eli Lilly, Dr. Paul served as Scientific Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Medical and Director in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS). He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the boards of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, SAGE Therapeutics and formerly the Sigma Aldrich Company. Dr. Paul holds a B.A. in biology and psychology from Tulane University and an M.S. and M.D. from the Tulane University School of Medicine.

New Board Members

The FNIH Board also unanimously elected Thomas R. Insel, M.D., and Paul Stoffels, M.D., as new Members of the Board of Directors. Dr. Thomas R. Insel is the Director of Clinical Neuroscience at Verily, the life sciences company of Alphabet (formerly known as Google Life Sciences), where he works on developing the group’s medical technology efforts, particularly within the area of mental health. Dr. Insel served as Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) from 2002 to 2015, overseeing advances in mental health, neuroscience, diagnostics and therapeutics. Prior to his appointment at the NIMH, Dr. Insel was a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at Emory University School of Medicine. He also served as Director of the Center for Autism Research and is a member of the scientific advisory board at the Autism Science Foundation.

Dr. Paul Stoffels is Chief Scientific Officer at Johnson & Johnson (J&J). As a member of the Executive Committee, Dr. Stoffels sets the company’s innovation agenda and oversees internal R&D across J&J’s three business sectors, pharmaceuticals, consumer and medical devices. In addition, he leads the Johnson & Johnson external innovation network including Johnson & Johnson Innovation Centers, JLabs incubators, JJDC venture capital and Business Development. He also oversees Johnson & Johnson’s Global Public Health unit.

For more information about the FNIH Board of Directors, please visit http://www.fnih.org/about/directors.

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About the Foundation for the NIH

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health creates and manages alliances with public and private institutions in support of the mission of the NIH, the world’s premier medical research agency. The Foundation, also known as the FNIH, works with its partners to accelerate biomedical research and strategies against diseases and health concerns in the United States and across the globe. The FNIH organizes and administers research projects; supports education and training of new researchers; organizes educational events and symposia; and administers a series of funds supporting a wide range of health issues. Established by Congress in 1990, the FNIH is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For additional information about the FNIH, please visit fnih.org.

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