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NIBIB News and Research Highlights

NIH News & Announcements

• NIH Announces Record Number of Grants to Support Early Career Investigators, Launches New Recruitment Initiative for Intramural Research (October 8, 2026)
• NIH Makes Major Investments to Advance Human-Based Research Infrastructure and Technologies (September 21, 2026)

Research Highlights

• Improving Lung Cancer Detection (October 7, 2026)
• Brain Organoid Maturation is Driven By a Lifelike Developmental Clock (August 19, 2026)
• Scientists Spur Growth of Implanted Liver Tissue (May 19, 2026)

Directory: Find Your NIBIB Program Director (Last Updated: October 7, 2026)

Identifying the appropriate NIH Program Director at a specific Institute or Center can be an important first step for researchers seeking guidance on potential grant applications and understanding how their work aligns with NIH scientific priorities.

To help the bioengineering and biomedical imaging community navigate NIBIB’s program areas and identify program directors and staff whose expertise most closely aligns with their research, FoNIBIB has compiled this directory using publicly available information. The directory organizes NIBIB program staff by their division and areas of scientific expertise and provides available contact information to help researchers connect directly with the appropriate NIBIB staff. FoNIBIB will continually review and update this NIBIB-specific directory to provide the research community with current information.

Extramural Science Program

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) funds research in a variety of scientific areas in biomedical imaging, bioengineering, and informatics, and training for researchers throughout the career span.

Guoying Liu, Ph.D.
Acting Associate Director for Extramural Science Programs
301-594-5220
liug@mail.nih.gov

Biomedical Imaging (Division of Applied Science & Technology)

The Division of Applied Science & Technology supports the development of biomedical imaging technologies to transform our understanding of biological and disease processes for improving diagnostics, image-guided therapies, and human health.

Randy King, Ph.D.
Acting Division Director
Program Area(s): Photoacoustic and Optoacoustic Technologies; Ultrasound: Diagnostic and Interventional
301-451-0707
randy.king@nih.gov

Afrouz Azari Anderson, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy
301-496-4558
afrouz.anderson@nih.gov

Tatjana Atanasijevic, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Molecular Probes and Imaging Agents; Nuclear Medicine
301-451-6873
atanasijevict@mail.nih.gov

Robert L. Barry, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
301-827-5814
robert.barry@nih.gov

Winona Nice, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Image-Guided Interventions
240-401-2510
winona.nice@nih.gov

Martin Tornai, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Nuclear Medicine; Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single‑Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT); X-ray and Computed Tomography (CT)
240-328-7193
martin.tornai@nih.gov

Shumin Wang, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Bio-Electromagnetic Technologies; Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI)
301-594-9001
shumin.wang@nih.gov

Informatics (Division of Health Informatics Technologies)

The Division of Health Informatics Technologies supports the evaluation of biomedical information toward patient-centered applications of clinical decision-making, in-home health monitoring, next-generation imaging, and mobile health.

Behrouz Shabestari, Ph.D.
Division Director
Director, National Centers for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Program Area(s): Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning; Image Processing, Visual Perception and Display; Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy
301-451-6771
shabestb@mail.nih.gov

Tiffani Bailey Lash, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Digital Health – Mobile Health and Telehealth; Point of Care Technologies – Diagnostics
301-451-4778
baileyti@mail.nih.gov

Qi Duan, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Biomedical Informatics; Image Processing, Visual Perception and Display
301-451-4780
qi.duan@nih.gov

Kristin Hedgepath Gilchrist, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Point of Care Technologies – Diagnostics
301-480-5724
kristin.gilchrist@nih.gov

Shawn Mulvaney, Ph.D.
Health Science Administrator
Program Area(s): Bioanalytical Sensors; Point of Care Technologies – Diagnostics
240-506-4724
shawn.mulvaney@nih.gov]

Bioengineering (Division of Discovery Science and Technology)

The Division of Discovery Science and Technology supports the development of biomedical technologies that interface with, monitor, and regulate functions of human physiology.

Luisa Russell, Ph.D.
Acting Division Director
301-496-5654
luisa.russell@nih.gov

Moria Fisher Bittmann, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Bionics; Robotics
301-496-7699
moria.bittmann@nih.gov

Jermont Chen, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Nanomaterials, Microphysiological Systems
301-451-4778
jermont.chen@nih.gov

Nichole Daringer, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Biomolecular Technologies
301-451-4774
nichole.daringer@nih.gov

Jessica Falcone, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Medical Devices
301-451-4778
jessica.falcone@nih.gov

Tuba Fehr, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area (s): Cellular and Multicellular Technologies; Living Materials
tuba.fehr@nih.gov

Jonathan Kulwatno, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Manufacturing and Biomanufacturing Tools; Physiomimetic Materials
301-827-6313
jonathan.kulwatno@nih.gov

Grace C.Y. Peng, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Medical Simulators, Modeling
301-496-9178
penggr@mail.nih.gov

Manana Sukhareva, Ph.D.
Program Director
Program Area(s): Molecular Materials, Screening and High-throughput
301-451-3397
Manana.Sukhareva@nih.gov

Workforce & Training (Division of Interdisciplinary Training)

The Division of Interdisciplinary Training aims to develop a competent workforce that can address bioengineering challenges of the future, supporting research training starting with undergraduate education through the early career stage.

Zeynep Erim, Ph.D.
Division Director
301-451-4797
erimz@mail.nih.gov

Tina Gatlin, Ph.D.
Program Director
gatlincl@nih.gov

Dave Gutekunst, Ph.D.
Program Director
240-789-0004
dave.gutekunst@nih.gov

RADx® Tech and Small Business (Office of Program Evaluation and Strategic Partnerships)

The Office of Program Evaluation and Strategic Partnerships supports innovative technologies through various stages of commercial research and development.

Todd D Merchak
Director, Office of Program Evaluation and Strategic Partnerships
301-496-8592
merchakt@mail.nih.gov

Kari Ashmont, Ph.D.
Translational Team Lead
301-451-4772
kari.ashmont@nih.gov

Stacie Gutowski, Ph.D.
Program Director
301-480-4660
stacie.gutowski@nih.gov

Shawn Mulvaney, Ph.D.
Program Director
240-506-4724
shawn.mulvaney@nih.gov

Michael Wolfson, Ph.D.
Program Director
301-451-6987
michael.wolfson@nih.gov