Biden rolls out members of science team

President-elect Joe Biden Saturday rolled out members of his science team as he looks to fill his administration and tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden will introduce Eric Lander, his nominee for director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and a presidential science adviser-designate; Alondra Nelson, his pick for OSTP deputy director for science and society; and Frances Arnold and Maria Zuber, his picks for co-chairs of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Biden has also said he will keep Francis Collins, the current director of the National Institutes of Health, on in his current role.

“This deeply respected group of diverse and eminently qualified scientists will marshal the force of science to drive meaningful progress in the lives of people. They will help the Biden-Harris administration confront some of the biggest crises and challenges of our time, from climate change and the impact of technology on society to pandemics, racial inequity and the current historic economic downturn,” the Biden transition team said in a press release.

“We’re on the cusp of some of the most remarkable breakthroughs that are going to change our way of life,” the president-elect added at the roll out.

The introductions Saturday focused on an array of science issues, but chiefly on the coronavirus pandemic, which Biden has said will be his first priority. The president-elect also touched on his efforts to find a cure to cancer, which has been a top priority of his since the disease took the life of his son, Beau.

“We made progress, but there’s so much more we can do,” he said.

The transition team added in the  personnel announcement that Biden will be elevating the post of presidential science adviser to a Cabinet rank.

The rollout comes as Biden unveils his plan to stem the spread of COVID-19 and address the pandemic’s economic fallout.

Biden on Friday detailed a $20 billion vaccination effort that would bolster the size of the federal government’s response and is part of a broader $415 billion plan focused on combating the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Truthfully, we remain in a very dark winter,” Biden said Friday, noting the country is rapidly approaching 400,000 deaths. “The vaccine rollout in the United States has been a dismal failure thus far.” 

Biden has vowed to administer 100 million vaccines in his first 100 days and use federal resources, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to launch new mass vaccination sites. The administration also plans to expand state and local immunization efforts across the country, including in pharmacies and community health centers. 

In total, Biden plans to dole out $1.9 trillion to support coronavirus vaccination efforts, help reopen schools, deliver critical aid to workers and small businesses, tackle hunger and send funding to state and local governments. 

Biden’s science team has a history of experience in various fields. Lander, for instance, is a leading researcher in mapping the human genome, and Arnold won the 2018 Nobel Prize in chemistry.