University President Sarah Mangelsdorf will present Lawrence A. Tabak, DDS, PhD, the principal deputy director of the National Institutes of Health, with the prestigious George Eastman Medal in recognition of his significant achievements and service. Following this, Tabak will give a lecture titled "A View from NIH: The Many Challenges and Opportunities of Biomedical Research."

Tabak's many years of successful leadership led to his appointment in late 2021 as acting director of the NIH for nearly two years. He was appointed as the NIH principal deputy director and the deputy ethics counselor in 2010 following his tenure as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research from 2000-2010.

Before joining NIH, Tabak was the first dentist-scientist to serve as the UR’s senior associate dean for research. He also served as a professor of dentistry, biochemistry and biophysics at the UR’s School of Medicine and Dentistry. Tabak bolstered the prominence of oral biology research programs and provided the foundation for today’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health.