The Senate last week confirmed the appointment of Robert M. Califf, M.D., as the new commissioner of food and drugs for the Food and Drug Administration.

He succeeds Margaret Hamburg, who left the agency last March after a six-year tenure. Califf served during the past year as FDA’s deputy commissioner for medical products and tobacco.

Prior to that, he worked at Duke University as a professor of medicine and vice chancellor for clinical and translational research, which applies findings from basic science to enhance human health and well-being.

For more details, read "Meet Robert M. Califf, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs."