News Release

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., NIH Director, Announces New NIH CIO

Bethesda, Maryland October 7, 2008 — Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is pleased to announce the appointment of John F. "Jack" Jones, Ph.D., as NIH Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective June 22, 2008.

Dr. Zerhouni notes, "Jack’s broad experience gives him an outstanding perspective on the rapidly changing issues in the information technology field. He has a long-term interest in the sharing of computer-based information that is relevant to our need to expand the sharing of research data."

As NIH CIO, Dr. Jones will advise Dr. Zerhouni regarding computational bioscience, computer engineering, and all facets of information technology. He will also continue to serve as Acting Director of the Center for Information Technology (CIT) until the NIH completes a search for a new permanent CIT Director.

Dr. Jones notes, "I am honored to continue in the tradition of leadership established by my predecessors and I am confident that the NIH will continue to excel in our collaborative endeavors. I look forward to integrating the work of agency level IT architectures with the government wide views that have been developed by OMB to move us forward."

Jones joined the NIH in 2001 as NIH Chief IT Architect. He served beginning late in 2003 as the Acting Deputy Director of CIT, before being named Acting Director, CIT, and Acting NIH CIO in late 2005. Before coming to the NIH, Jones was at Sandia National Laboratories, where his last position was Director of Information Processes. During his last two years at Sandia, he also served as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Energy for the Advanced Strategic Computing Initiative.

About the NIH Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)

http://ocio.nih.gov/
Contact: Tom Izzard
301-496-5703
izzardt@mail.nih.gov

The NIH Office of the Chief Information Officer serves the NIH community by providing leadership and management support to ensure that NIH IT administrative, scientific, and research investments and resources are well planned, effectively managed and in compliance with all federal policies and mandates, adaptable to the IT architecture, and well secured.

About the Center for Information Technology, NIH

http://www.cit.nih.gov
Contact: Jennifer Czajkowski
301-496-6203
citcommoffice@mail.nih.gov

The mission of CIT is to provide, coordinate, and manage information technology, and to advance computational science. The vision of CIT is to be a vital partner in the discovery of biomedical knowledge. CIT incorporates the power of modern computers into the biomedical programs and administrative procedures of NIH by focusing on three primary activities: conducting computational biosciences research, developing information systems, and providing computer facilities.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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