It’s Time Dr. Francis Collins Be Named Director of The National Institutes of Health

News agencies over the past month have reported that Dr. Francis S. Collins, the scientist who led the U.S. government drive to map the 3 billion letters of the human genetic code, is the leading contender to run the National Institutes of Health.  Where is the announcement we are all desperately waiting for?  God, what is the hold-up?

President Obama, if you want to overhaul our healthcare system like you say you do please give this critical healthcare post to Dr. Collins.  Dr. Collins understands that we can accelerate research by understanding our genetic code and how genetics influence our health and our lives.

Dr. Collins understands that studying genes that cause horrible rare diseases will aid in our understand the most common illnesses impacting millions.  For example, if you want to understand “obesity,” researchers need to understand how the Niemann Pick Type C gene on Chromosome 18 works.  The NPC gene regulates human cholesterol metabolism and has been recently linked to obesity and many other diseases that are affecting millions yet very little money at NIH goes into research in this critical cholesterol gene.

The focus at NIH needs to shift to the 23 pairs of chromosomes and the 20,000 genes that make us human and to understanding rare diseases.  We need Dr. Collins to continue to provide his revolutionary contributions to genetic research and continue to bring his intellectual and spiritual perspective to people everywhere.   I am not a scientist but I am a believer.   A believer in Dr. Francis Collins!