The new head of the NIH will face some big challenges ahead, reports the Washington Post. Among the biggest hurdles: Reversing a decline in overall federal funding for research [1], a trend that's lasted for the past five years, and continuing the unwritten rule of preventing the president from influencing research initiatives too much.

You can bet that there will be a big push to gain more money for research. The Post notes that the NIH is handing out $29.5 billion this year, primarily through 50,000 grants to 325,000 scientists. And about 10 percent of its budget goes to support 6,000 staff researchers. Those jobs should count for a lot in this economy, says departing NIH chief Elias Zerhouni [2] (photo [3]).

"We are a knowledge economy, we are not a manufacturing economy," says Zerhouni, who ran the NIH for six years. "NIH provides an enormous opportunity for sustaining economic activity. I am hoping the new administration will focus on this issue."

- read the report [4] in the Washington Post

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Zerhouni's departure from NIH follows controversial tenure [5]
Warning: flat NIH budget threatens 'dead end' [6]
Dwindling NIH funds triggers research "crisis" [7]
Research groups angry as NIH funding stays flat [8]