An interview with Bernadine P. Healy. Interview by Carmella A. Bocchino

In April 1991, Dr. Bernadine P. Healy was appointed director of the National Institutes of Health--the largest biomedical research organization in the world. In assuming this position, Dr. Healy became the nation's premier woman in science and broadened the opportunities for women in an arena traditionally dominated by men. She has aggressively tackled the research agenda for NIH and assured the inclusion of women's health issues. Using her leadership, Dr. Healy has redefined the director's role, broadened women's visibility in science, and defended the extensive Women's Health Initiative and the Administration's stand on fetal tissue research.