John Gaitanis, M.D., a pediatric neurologist, has been selected as director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health. He began the role on August 23, 2026.
As director, Gaitanis will oversee NICHD's approximately $1.7 billion annual budget and lead a staff of about 1,100. The institute conducts research and supports about 2,300 research grants and projects addressing maternal, gynecologic, and child health, as well as the health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to the NIH.
Gaitanis is a nationally recognized expert in complex neurodevelopmental disorders, epilepsy, and autism. He previously served as Chief of Child Neurology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and as Director of Child Neurology at Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island. He earned his M.D. from Brown Medical School and completed neurology training at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, where he served as chief resident.
Gaitanis serves on the board of the Medical Academy of Pediatrics and Special Needs (MAPS), a national organization focused on translating emerging science into clinical care for children with severe, chronic, and complex medical conditions. He received the MAPS Trailblazer Award in 2025.