National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis S. Collins has selected Rena N. D’Souza, DDS, MS, PhD, as director of NIH’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. A licensed dentist, Dr. D’Souza is currently the assistant vice president for academic affairs and education for health sciences at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. There she also serves as a professor of dentistry, the Ole and Marty Jensen Chair of the School of Dentistry, and professor of neurobiology and anatomy, pathology, and surgery in the School of Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
“Dr. D’Souza is renowned for her research in craniofacial development, genetics, tooth development, and regenerative dental medicine. She has worked as a proponent for NIH for decades, serving on critical advisory committees and as an expert consultant on multiple projects,” said Dr. Collins.
Dr. D’Souza is expected to begin her new role as the NIDCR director in early fall 2020.