Biographical Sketch of Nicole C. Kleinstreuer, Ph.D.
Acting NIH Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
Nicole C. Kleinstreuer, Ph.D., is the Acting NIH Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives. In this role, she leads the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) within the NIH Office of the Director, which oversees trans-NIH programmatic research and strategic policy initiatives, including the NIH Common Fund and offices focused on women’s health, data science, AIDS research, disease prevention, behavioral and social sciences, dietary supplements, and tribal health, among others.
Dr. Kleinstreuer is internationally recognized for her leadership in developing innovative, human-relevant research strategies that advance public health protection. Prior to her current position, she served as Director of the National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), within the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). She also served as Executive Director of the congressionally mandated Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) and as the US National Co-Coordinator for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Test Guidelines Programme. In these roles, she led interagency and international efforts to promote new approach methodologies (NAMs), reduce animal testing, and integrate computational modeling, artificial intelligence, and systems toxicology into regulatory science. Her work spans translational bioinformatics, predictive modeling, and quantitative risk assessment. She has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and received numerous honors, including the 2019 Society of Toxicology Achievement Award and the 2025 Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award, as well as multiple NIH Director’s and NIEHS Merit Awards.
Dr. Kleinstreuer holds B.S. degrees in biomedical engineering and applied mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Canterbury. She completed postdoctoral training in computational toxicology at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and holds adjunct faculty appointments at Yale University and UNC Chapel Hill. She is deeply committed to mentorship, public health protection, and scientific innovation that enhances the translation of biomedical research to real-world impact.