Honoring John Gallin, the 10th and longest-serving director of the NIH Clinical Center

John I. Gallin, M.D., the 10th director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, passed away at his home on October 10, 2024, at the age of 81 due to multiple myeloma, with his wife, Elaine Gallin, Ph.D., by his side.

Dr. Gallin received his medical training at Cornell University Medical College, followed by an internal medicine residency at Bellevue Hospital. He joined NIH in 1971 as a clinical associate in Sheldon Wolff’s Laboratory of Clinical Investigation and returned in 1976 as a senior investigator after serving as senior chief resident in medicine at Bellevue Hospital in 1974.

He held various leadership roles, including director of the NIAID Intramural Research Program (1985–1994) and chief of the Laboratory of Host Defenses (1991–2003).

In August 2016, Gallin was appointed NIH associate director for clinical research and chief scientific officer for the Clinical Center, overseeing independent research programs and clinical research training. He stepped down as director of the Clinical Center on January 8, 2017, to focus on these roles.

Gallin published or co-authored over 355 articles in scientific journals and edited two textbooks: Inflammation, Basic Principles and Clinical Correlates (1999) and Principles and Practices of Clinical Research (2002, 4th edition 2018). His honors included membership in the National Academy of Medicine and recognition as a master of the American College of Physicians.

Doctors and healthcare organizations shared their condolences:

NIH Clinical Center:

“John I. Gallin, M.D., who served as Director of the NIH Clinical Center from 1994-2017, passed away on October 10, 2024. He often referred to our hospital as the ‘House of Hope,’ and he both fostered and championed its deep partnership with patients.”

Monica Bertagnolli:

“It’s with a heavy heart that I share the news that our dear colleague Dr. John Gallin has passed away.

He was the longest-serving director of the NIH Clinical Center (CC). With a 50+ year career at NIH, he leaves an incredible legacy that lives on in the important work at the NIH Clinical Center and in generations of clinician-scientists. I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.”

Nicholas Sarlis:

“Truly sad news re. Dr. John Gallin’s passing.

He left a tremendous legacy as the NIH Clinical Center Director and was a constant inspiration for all of us that trained in intramural NIH Fellowships (across Institutes) and remained as Clinical Tenure-Track PIs and Staff Physicians after completing our Fellowship.

John’s emphasis on rigorous education of clinical investigators pays off in multitudes across the healthcare ecosystem, in academia, industry and the government, not only in the US but worldwide. R.I.P.”

Carrie Wolinetz:

“Sad news. When John transitioned to Associate Director for Clinical Research, his office was next to mine in Building 1 at NIH, so we had many hallway conversations and encounters.

John was an incredibly kind human, and he had a sly sense of humor that I have no doubt cheered his patients and made him a much beloved colleague. May his memory be for a blessing and sending warmest of thoughts to his family and friends.”

Kenneth Remy:

“John was such a wonderful advisor to me at the NIH for my work in felcom and career. We lost another great one. RIP John.”