Larry Tabak, who has served as the second-in-command at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for many years, is set to retire, as confirmed by two sources familiar with the matter.

A dentist by background and a renowned researcher, Tabak joined the NIH as the principal deputy director in 2010. His career at the agency has spanned four presidential administrations, including a significant period as the acting director after Francis Collins stepped down in 2021.

At age 73, Tabak’s retirement is not unexpected, but it comes during a period of considerable uncertainty for the NIH, which oversees a substantial $47 billion in federal biomedical research funding.

The NIH has yet to respond to STAT’s request for additional information.

Since the beginning of the Trump administration, the NIH has faced unprecedented challenges. Although the NIH has historically been a highly regarded institution for lawmakers from both parties, the Trump administration has sought to make substantial changes to its operational framework.

Particularly concerning is a recent freeze imposed across the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the NIH. This freeze has led to the cancellation of numerous study sections—meetings where expert committees evaluate research grant applications.

Last week, the Trump administration also put a cap on indirect costs associated with research funding, limiting them to 15%. While the administration claims this will enhance efficiency and redirect more funds to vital research, experts warn it could significantly disrupt the entire U.S. biomedical research landscape, potentially costing universities over $100 million.

During his long tenure, Tabak worked under four different presidential administrations: Obama, Trump, Biden, and again Trump. For much of this time, he was the right-hand man to Collins, who led the agency from 2009 to 2021, and recently to Monica Bertagnolli, who held the position from 2023 until the twilight of the Biden administration.

President Trump has nominated Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford researcher known for his critical views on COVID-19 lockdowns, to succeed Tabak as the new NIH director. However, the Senate has not yet announced a timeline for confirmation proceedings.

In the interim, Matthew Memoli, a researcher from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who has publicly disagreed with former director Anthony Fauci’s vaccine mandate advocacy, is currently serving as acting director.

STAT’s reporting on chronic health issues benefits from a grant provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Our financial backers do not influence our journalistic decisions.