Dr. Anthony Fauci announced on Monday that he will retire from his job as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and as President Biden’s chief medical adviser in December.
Fauci, who has led the NIAID for 38 years, said that he will leave his posts to “pursue the next chapter” of his career and that he is “not retiring,” Fox News reported.
"I am announcing today that I will be stepping down from the positions of Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, as well as the position of Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden," Fauci said in a statement. "I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career."
He added: "It has been the honor of a lifetime to have led the NIAID, an extraordinary institution, for so many years and through so many scientific and public health challenges. I am very proud of our many accomplishments."
Fauci has been in charge of NIAID during seven presidential administrations, starting with former President Ronald Reagan. He described a career working on "on newly emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats including HIV/AIDS, West Nile virus, the anthrax attacks, pandemic influenza, various bird influenza threats, Ebola and Zika, among others, and, of course, most recently the COVID-19 pandemic."
"I am particularly proud to have served as the Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden since the very first day of his administration," Fauci said.
"While I am moving on from my current positions, I am not retiring," Fauci said. "After more than 50 years of government service, I plan to pursue the next phase of my career while I still have so much energy and passion for my field."
Fauci said that he plans to continue in his field in other capacities.
"I want to use what I have learned as NIAID Director to continue to advance science and public health and to inspire and mentor the next generation of scientific leaders as they help prepare the world to face future infectious disease threats," he said.
During the final months of his two positions, he will "continue to put my full effort, passion and commitment into my current responsibilities, as well as help prepare the Institute for a leadership transition."
"I am proud to have been part of this important work and look forward to helping to continue to do so in the future," Fauci said.