Stephen M. Pasiakos has been chosen to lead NIH Office of Dietary Supplements

Stefan M. Pasiakos, PhD, FACSM has been selected to be director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements. He will begin in his new role on July 16, 2023. Currently, Pasiakos is a research physiologist and chief of the military performance division at the United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM). There, he leads a research program and scientific team to develop evidence-based solutions to limit musculoskeletal injuries, accelerate return to duty, and optimize physical and behavioral performance in military training and operational environments. Pasiakos received his PhD in Nutritional Science in 2008 from the University of Connecticut, and completed his postdoctoral fellowship in the military nutrition division at USARIEM in 2012 as a United States Army Medical Service Corps officer.

Between 2012 and 2021, Pasiakos led an interdisciplinary research program in the military nutrition division to refine dietary protein requirements for soldiers as well as develop targeted dietary strategies to sustain muscle mass during strenuous operations. He has published more than 150 articles on a number of scientific domains, including diet and supplemental nutrition, muscle physiology, human performance, and bioenergetics of exercise metabolism.

“[The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA; Washington, D.C.)] welcomes Dr. Pasiakos to this new role, where he will be instrumental in helping advance ODS’s mission as its permanent director. ODS plays a critical role in strengthening the public’s knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by advancing scientific information, supporting research, and disseminating results into findings that are beneficial for consumers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers," said Scott Melville, president and CEO of CHPA, in a prepared statement. "As more Americans incorporate supplementation into their overall self-care plans, we at CHPA look forward to working with Dr. Pasiakos to support scientific evidence that strengthens the understanding of how supplements can be used to optimize overall health and well-being.”

Pasiakos will be taking the place of Dr. David M. Murray, who has been serving as acting director of the Office of Dietary Supplements from January of 2023.