US president-elect Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American scientist Jay Bhattacharya as the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the leading health research and funding body in the United States.

Bhattacharya is the first Indian-American to be selected by Trump for a high-ranking administrative role.

Previously, Trump had announced Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, a newly created voluntary role, along with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Unlike Bhattacharya’s position, Ramaswamy’s role does not require Senate confirmation.

“I am thrilled to nominate Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, to serve as director of the National Institutes of Health. Dr Bhattacharya will work in cooperation with Robert F Kennedy Jr to direct the Nation’s Medical Research and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives,” Trump said in a statement.

He added, “Together, Jay and RFK Jr will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease. Together, they will work hard to Make America Healthy Again Read More…..