Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health, announced his intention to step down from his position as director of the institute at the end of October.

Dr. Zerhouni, 57, an Algerian-born radiologist and a world renowned leader in the field of radiology and medicine, has spent 6.5 years at the helm of the nation’s medical research agency overseeing the NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers with more than 18,000 employees and a fiscal year 2008 budget of $29.5 billion. According to the NIH Web site, Dr. Zerhouni is credited with developing imaging methods used for diagnosing cancer and cardiovascular disease. During his six-year tenure, Zerhouni managed to establish a research program into the problem of widespread obesity. He launched a big new interdisciplinary program at the institute during an era when funding for the agency was largely stagnant.

Dr. Zerhouni created the NIH Roadmap, a set of crosscutting initiatives funded by all of NIH’s 27 institutes that includes basic research tools, translational research programs, and new awards for high-risk research and young investigators. Launched in September 2003, the program has been praised by the Congress, which passed a law three years later giving the NIH director more power over the institute’s portofolio and creating a common fund for similar projects. According to the NIH Web site, the program aims to accelerate the pace of discovery and speed the application of new knowledge to the development of new prevention strategies, new diagnostics and new treatments. The innovations would be then transferred to health care providers and the public.

Dr. Zerhouni told reporters that his departure follows “the natural cycle of tenures for this position,” which are historically held for about 6 years. He decided to step down before the November presidential elections so that the next Administration can “focus on NIH as early and as soon as possible.” One of the reasons behind his decision was his wish to turn his attention to new opportunities and to explore other writing projects.

Raynard S. Kington, deputy director of N.I.H., is expected to serve as the agency’s interim director, Zerhouni said.

Dr. Zerhouni’s imaging research that has led to advances in Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT scanning) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has earned him a Gold Medal from the American Roentgen Ray Society for CT research and two Paul Lauterbur Awards for MRI research. His research resulted in 157 peer reviewed publications and 8 patents.

Dr. Zerhouni received the honorary title Doctor Emeritus from the University of Algiers in 2005.

From 1998–2002, he served on the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Advisors. Since 2000, he has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine.

He was born in Nedroma in Tlemcen Province and came to the United States at age 24. He completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at John Hopkins in 1978 as chief resident. Dr. Zerhouni came to the institute from John Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he was director of the MRI division, full professor (in 1992), and the chairman of the radiology department.