Robert M. Califf is commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, overseeing the FDA portfolio and execution of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and other applicable laws. Califf, who also served as FDA commissioner in 2016 and earlier as its deputy commissioner for medical products and tobacco, is a nationally recognized expert in cardiovascular medicine, health outcomes research, health care quality, and clinical research, and is a leader in the growing field of translational research. Prior to rejoining the FDA in 2022, Califf was head of medical strategy and senior advisor at Alphabet Inc., professor of medicine and vice chancellor for clinical and translational research at Duke University, director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute, and founding director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute.