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Kington Named Acting Director of NIAAA
Last November, HABIT noted the recent departures of three NIH institute directors whose leadership had expanded the behavioral science portfolios of their institutes -- a change that could represent a major loss for those fighting for recognition of behavior's role in health.
This month, HABIT is pleased to report that one of the vacant positions is, at least for the time being, in the best of hands: Raynard Kington, M.D., Ph.D., has been named acting director of NIH's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. His appointment, which follows the retirement of Enoch Gordis, M.D., became effective on Jan. 1.
Dr. Kington, NIH associate director for behavioral and social sciences research and director of the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research since November 2000, will retain these positions while serving as NIAAA acting director.
Board-certified in internal medicine, geriatric medicine and public and preventive medicine, Dr. Kington has focused his research on social factors as determinants of health. After the completion of his medical training, he was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, earning his M.B.A. and his Ph.D. in health policy and economics from the Wharton School.
Prior to his service at NIH, Dr. Kington was director of the division of health examination statistics in the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics and a senior scientist at Rand Corporation.
The new appointment enables Dr. Kington to support biobehavioral research on a large scale, as NIAAA conducts and supports approximately 90 percent of U.S. research on alcohol abuse, alcoholism and alcohol problems. Its activities strongly influence scientists, practitioners, policy makers and the general public.
For any HABIT readers who may be concerned that NIAAA's gain will be OBSSR's loss, Dr. Kington made it clear that this is not the case. "I just wanted to reassure you that I plan to continue an active role in OBSSR ... and will not be applying for the permanent position as NIAAA director," Dr. Kington said in an interview with HABIT.
Instead, Dr. Kington views his temporary appointment at NIAAA, which he anticipates will last approximately nine to 10 months, as an opportunity to discharge his future responsibilities even more effectively. "I believe that when I return to OBSSR, I will be in an even better position to push for the behavioral and social sciences here at NIH," he said.
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