” Dr. Tabaks long tenure and broad experience at the NIH will ensure that the firm is in capable hands and serve it well during the search for Dr. Collins follower,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra says in the announcement. Lawrence TabakThe appointment follows Collinss statement in October that he would step down as NIH director. See “Francis Collins to Retire as NIH Director by Years End” Tabak, who was trained as a dental expert and then earned a PhD in endodontics, came to the NIH in 2000 from the University of Rochester, where he served as a senior associate dean as well as a scientist.