Linda Birnbaum, a toxicologist and former head of EPA's Experimental Toxicology Division, will be the new head of the NIH's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), ending a period of turmoil under her predecessor David Schwartz, who resigned from the institute early this year amidst allegations of mismanagement.

Raynard Kington, acting head of NIH, announced the appointment today (Dec. 3).

"I look forward to Dr. Birnbaum joining us," Kington said in a statement. "She has a long and distinguished career conducting research into the health effects of environmental pollutants, and the cause and effects relationships at pollutant concentrations which mimic those occurring in the environment."

"I am excited about serving as the director of NIEHS at a time when integration across disciplines is essential, from molecular biology to pharmacology and physiology to epidemiology. Complex environmental issues require individual and team efforts to address the interactions between the environment and human health," Birnbaum said in a statement.

Birnbaum will assume leadership of NIEHS starting in January, 2009.

Related stories:

Schwartz resigns from NIEHS [11th February 2008]

New NIH head talks budget, priorities [10th November 2008]