A second longtime US National Institutes of Health leader is retiring from government service, just over a day after the agency’s long-serving deputy director said he was doing the same. Dr. Michael Lauer, NIH deputy director for extramural research, has announced that he will retire from federal service on Feb. 14. This decision was communicated by acting NIH Director Dr. Matthew Memoli in an announcement to agency colleagues on Thursday.
Dr. Lauer has been in the critical role of overseeing NIH’s grant enterprise since October 2015. In this capacity, he has been responsible for managing the administration and awarding of nearly 60,000 grants at over 2,500 institutions across all states, supporting the work of more than 300,000 researchers. Prior to his current role, Dr. Lauer, a cardiologist and researcher, joined NIH in 2007 as the director of the Division of Prevention and Population Science at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
The news of Dr. Lauer’s retirement follows the abrupt retirement announcement of Dr. Lawrence Tabak, the longtime NIH deputy director. Dr. Tabak's retirement was effective immediately, causing concern among colleagues within NIH. Sources within the agency expressed uncertainty about the circumstances surrounding Dr. Tabak's departure, with some speculating that it may not have been voluntary. There were also fears among other leaders at NIH that additional retirements or departures could follow, leading to a sense of unease within the organization.
