National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins, MD, PhD, April 11 announced the selection of Eric Dishman as Director of the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) Cohort Program, NIH’s effort to build a national research cohort of one million or more Americans. The goal of the cohort is to engage participants in creating a data-driven research enterprise which will generate new knowledge and more effective ways to prolong health and treat disease.
Most recently, Mr. Dishman served as Vice President and Intel Fellow of Intel Corporation’s Health & Life Sciences Group. The NIH notes that he additionally “brings the patient experience to the heart of innovation and science. After battling a rare form of kidney cancer for 23 years… he became cancer-free thanks to early access to precision medicine that clarified the right treatment plan for him.” Mr. Dishman was also a member of the PMI Working Group of the Advisory Committee to the NIH Director, which developed a framework for creating and managing the cohort.
Mr. Dishman will replace Interim Director Josephine P. Briggs, MD, who led the initiative while continuing to serve as the Director of NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.