The Senate voted 89-4 today to confirm Robert Califf, MD, as the next commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Califf takes over the job from Margaret Hamburg, who left the agency in March. The FDA’s chief scientist, Stephen Ostroff, has served as acting commissioner since her departure.

Prior to joining the FDA, Califf, a professor of medicine in the Duke University School of Medicine, served as vice chancellor of clinical and translational research at Duke, executive director and founder of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), and director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute. During his time at Duke, Califf led many landmark clinical trials in cardiovascular disease. He is considered an international leader in the fields of health outcomes, quality of care, and medical economics. He is one of the nation’s leaders in the growing field of translational research, which is key to translating scientific advances into clinical care.

“It’s a proud day for the DCRI and Duke,” said DCRI Executive Director Eric Peterson, MD, MPH. “So many of us have had the privilege to work side by side with Dr. Califf through the years, and today marks another milestone in his storied career as a champion for improving patient care around the world. Dr. Califf has devoted his life to innovations in clinical research, and we look forward to his contribution to advancing and protecting our nation’s public health.”

Califf was a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) committees that recommended Medicare coverage of clinical trials and the removal of ephedra from the market and of the IOM’s Committee on Identifying and Preventing Medication Errors. He also served as a member of the FDA Cardiorenal Advisory Panel and FDA Science Board’s Subcommittee on Science and Technology. Currently, he is a member of the IOM Policy Committee and liaison to the Forum in Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation.

President Obama nominated Califf for the position in September of last year. Califf has served as the FDA’s deputy commissioner for medical devices and tobacco since February 2015.

Nancy C. Andrews, MD, PhD, Dean, Duke University School of Medicine, today announced the launch of the new Center for Population Health Sciences in the School of Medicine. The center will be led by Lesley Curtis, PhD, professor in the Department of Medicine and director of the Center for Pragmatic Health Services Research in the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI).

The goal of the Center for Population Health Sciences is to identify determinants of health and the most effective means for improving health. This multi-disciplinary center will comprise faculty members from a variety of disciplines including epidemiology, health services research and policy, health economics, health measurement and behavior, and implementation science who share an interest in answering complex questions about the drivers of health in populations. The center will foster active collaborations with the Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy, the Center for Community and Population Health Improvement, the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the Duke University Health System, and other entities engaged in the science of population health.

Dr. Curtis has spent her career advancing the health of patients with cardiovascular disease, eye disease, and other chronic diseases through her conduct of numerous studies employing methods in health services research, clinical and comparative effectiveness, and pharmacoepidemiology. She has led national and international efforts to develop and refine advanced methods for the analysis of large secondary data sets. Dr. Curtis currentlyco-leads the Data Core for the FDA’s Sentinel  Initiative, and the coordinating centers for the NIH’s Health Care Systems Collaboratory and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Initiative’s National Clinical Research Network (PCORnet).

This new center will be the launching pad for the subsequent establishment of a new department in the School of Medicine, which will include signature research initiatives in health services research, implementation science, and measurement science.  Educational offerings will complement the department’s signature research initiatives with an initial focus on principles and methods of research embedded in health care systems, analytic approaches to population-based electronic health data, and principles of patient-reported measures. Center faculty will develop educational programs including a post-graduate certificate program in Population Health Sciences and Master and PhD programs in Population Health Sciences.