Francis Collins: podcast appearances and interviews

Francis Sellers Collins is an American physician-scientist known for his leadership of the Human Genome Project and his discovery of genes associated with various diseases. He served as director of the National Institutes of Health from August 2009 until December 2021, serving under three U.S. presidents. Prior to his appointment at NIH, Collins was the director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, where he led genomics research initiatives. He established a reputation as a gene hunter while at the University of Michigan. Collins has been elected to the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences and has received notable awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science. Beyond his scientific work, Collins has authored books on science, medicine, and religion, including the bestseller The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. He founded the BioLogos Foundation, which promotes dialogue on the relationship between science and religion and advocates the view that Christianity can be reconciled with evolution and scientific understanding, particularly through the concept of theistic evolution. In 2009, he was appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences by Pope Benedict XVI. Collins announced his retirement from the NIH in March 2025 after more than three decades of service. In early 2022, he joined the Biden administration as Acting Science Advisor to the President.