Pamela M. McInnes, DDS, has been named deputy director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), part of the National Institutes of Health. McInnes currently serves as director of the Division of Extramural Research at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. She joined National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences in January 2014.
“I am thrilled that Pamela is joining the NCATS leadership team. Her expertise in translational and clinical research coupled with her extensive extramural management experience, and her record of accomplishment in trans-NIH and public-private collaborations, make her an ideal fit as our deputy director,” said NCATS Director Christopher P. Austin, MD. “Her recruitment is a key milestone in our building the NCATS organization into a catalyst for transformational change in translational science, getting new treatments to more patients more quickly.”
At NIDCR, McInnes was responsible for all of the institute’s extramural research, which ranges from basic through clinical research, including large and complex clinical and population-based trials. She is committed to the rigorous and robust conduct of clinical trials that adhere to the highest standards for human subject protection and data integrity. Her work in translational sciences has led to numerous product development and clinical evaluation programs, and she is involved actively with the broader extramural research community in efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality attributable to a large spectrum of diseases and disorders.
“I am excited to join NCATS, which is uniquely focused on solving translational process problems that aren’t a primary focus of disease-oriented programs,” McInnes said. “I look forward to collaborating with stakeholders in the government, academia, patient organizations and the private sector to revolutionize the way translational research is conducted nationwide.”
Prior to her time at NIDCR, McInnes spent 16 years at the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), where she served in many capacities, including Deputy Director for its Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. ■
