CF Foundation Supports President Obama's Nomination of Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., as New NIH Director

BETHESDA, Md. (Map) - BETHESDA, Md., July 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation commends the nomination by President Obama of Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., as the new director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"The CF Foundation is pleased that Dr. Collins, who was pivotal in the discovery of the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis, may lead the NIH during a time when the expanding role of science is being highlighted by President Obama," said

"By leading the world's premier medical research agency, Dr. Collins will help broaden scientific understanding, which will ultimately further the CF Foundation's quest for a cure, and will help the numerous other diseases NIH scientists are working to treat."

In 1989, Collins and a team of Foundation-supported researchers made a giant leap forward when they identified the gene responsible for CF. The discovery propelled the field of CF into an era of therapeutics. Today, there are more than 30 potential drugs in the Foundation's pipeline, several of which are aimed at addressing the genetic defect in CF.

The Foundation believes that Collins' record of scientific achievements and his leadership of the National Human Genome Research Institute demonstrate that he is an exceptional candidate for director of the NIH.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the leading organization in the United States devoted to curing and controlling cystic fibrosis, has invested more than $320 million in drug research with biotech companies since 1998 to develop therapies to fight CF. As a result, the Foundation has built a drug pipeline with more than 30 promising therapies in development. Virtually every approved CF therapy available today was made possible because of the support of the Foundation. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation has 80 chapters and branch offices, and supports and accredits a nationwide network of 110 CF care centers that provide treatment and vital resources to patients and families. For more information, visit www.cff.org.