The Director's Desk

In this episode of The Director’s Desk, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya hosts a roundtable with the primary authors of the new HHS peer-reviewed report, “Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices.”This comprehensive federal review evaluates the scientific evidence behind current pediatric gender dysphoria treatments—including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical interventions—and concludes that these approaches carry significant and long-term risks for children and adolescents.Featured Authors & Contributors:• Evgenia Abbruzzese – Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine• Alex Byre, PhD – Massachusetts Institute of Technology• Farr Curlin, MD – Duke University• Moti Gorin, PhD, MBE – Colorado State University• Kristopher Kaliebe, MD, DFAACAP – University of South Florida• Michael K. Laidlaw, MD – Michael K. Laidlaw MD, Inc.• Kathleen McDeavitt, MD – Baylor College of Medicine• Leor Sapir, PhD – Manhattan Institute for Policy Research• Yuan Zhang, PhD – Evidence Bridge• Additional contributors to the HHS evidence review and peer-review processTogether, they discuss the report’s major findings, the strength and limitations of the existing evidence base, long-term clinical outcomes, and the implications for research, clinical practice, and public health policy.To learn more or read the full HHS report, visit HHS.gov.

Unlock the science behind how taste, smell, and the brain shape our health. In this episode of The Director’s Desk, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya sits down with Dr. Paule Joseph—Lasker Clinical Research Scholar, Tenure-Track Investigator, and Chief of the Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism (SenSMet) at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).Dr. Joseph shares her career journey and groundbreaking research on chemosensation, metabolism, and ingestive behavior. Her team studies how the brain interprets taste, smell, and chemesthetic signals—and how these pathways change in conditions like obesity, alcohol use disorder, and substance use disorders. She also discusses her clinical-translational work, innovative psychophysical methods, fMRI imaging, rodent models, and SenSMet’s research on COVID-19–related smell and taste loss.If you’re interested in neuroscience, metabolic health, sensory science, translational research, or the future of precision health, this conversation is for you.👉 Subscribe for more conversations with NIH leaders and scientists advancing biomedical research and public health.Learn more about clinical trials or find one near you:https://clinicaltrials.gov/

In this episode of The Director’s Desk, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya speaks with Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, Acting Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). They discuss Dr. Taubenberger’s remarkable career path and the groundbreaking research NIAID is leading to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.From developing vaccines and life-saving treatments to advancing the science of immune system function, NIAID’s work is shaping the future of global health. This conversation offers an inside look at how cutting-edge research is helping to protect communities in the U.S. and around the world from some of the most pressing health threats of our time.

In this episode of The Director’s Desk, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya speaks with Dr. Geri Donenberg, NIH Associate Director for AIDS Research. Together, they discuss Dr. Donenberg’s inspiring career path and the latest technological breakthroughs that could revolutionize how we treat HIV infection.From decades of research to emerging therapies and health strategies, this conversation offers rare insights into the future of HIV prevention and treatment, directly from a leader shaping the NIH’s scientific mission.🔬 In this episode:Dr. Donenberg’s career journey in HIV researchEmerging HIV treatments and technologiesNIH’s role in HIV/AIDS strategyChallenges and opportunities in combating HIVThe future of public health innovation at NIH

In this episode of The Director’s Desk, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is joined by Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer, Acting Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives at the NIH.They discuss the evolving role of animal testing in biomedical research, explore cutting-edge alternatives, and examine the ethical and scientific challenges that come with modernizing research practices.Get an inside look at how NIH leaders are shaping the future of biomedical innovation, research policy, and public health strategy.