The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announces the appointment of Alan P. Koretsky, Ph.D., as Scientific Director. Beginning October 1, 2006, he will direct the NINDS Division of Intramural Research, which conducts studies on the biomedical processes involved in the more than 600 disorders and conditions that affect the nervous system.

“Dr. Koretsky is an outstanding choice to manage our science program’s intellectual and financial resources,” said Story C. Landis, Ph.D., NINDS director, in making the announcement. “We looked for someone whose breadth of knowledge and scientific experience is equally broad. Dr. Koretsky is internationally known for developing imaging techniques that allow us to better see and understand brain structure and nerve system mechanics.”

As Scientific Director, Dr. Koretsky will plan, lead, and assess all aspects of the NINDS intramural research program of basic and clinical research, which focuses on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of neurological disorders. He will also oversee all aspects of the Institute’s intramural multidisciplinary research efforts, develop new research programs, recruit new investigators to the NINDS intramural program, and build networks of scientists involved in various fields of neuroscience and neurobiology.

Dr. Koretsky has been chief of the NINDS Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging since June 1999. He also directs the NIH Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Facility/Mouse Imaging Facility. His major research interest is in the area of developing novel magnetic resonance imaging techniques to visualize brain structure and function. He has used these techniques to study cellular energy metabolism, to monitor the regulation of blood flow, and, most recently, to map changes in the brain that occur in a variety of normal and pathological conditions.

Previously, he spent 12 years as a professor of biological sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. He received his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his master of science and graduate degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Koretsky has co-authored more than 130 publications and served on the editorial boards of several journals. Presently, he is on the editorial board of Contrast Media and Molecular Imaging. In 2002, he received the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine’s Gold Medal Award for his work in developing MRI tools.

The National Institutes of Health (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. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.