Dr. Anthony Fauci is departing his roles as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and as chief medical officer to President Joe Biden at the end of this year, marking the end of nearly four decades as the nation’s top infectious disease expert. “I am announcing today that I will be stepping down from the positions of Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, as well as the position of Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden. I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career,” Fauci said. Fauci, 81, has served at NIAID for 38 years starting in former President Ronald Reagan’s administration, a role in which he helped lead the US response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, as well as West Nile virus, the anthrax attacks, pandemic influenza, various bird influenza threats, Ebola and Zika. He became one of the most public faces of the federal response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Biden praised Fauci’s work in a statement, noting his “unwavering” commitment to the work, as well as his “unparalleled spirit, energy, and scientific integrity.” 📸: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images