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Dr. Francis Collins is being held over as the director of the National Institutes of Health by the Trump administration, his office announced Thursday afternoon. Collins had been prepared to step down from the post on Friday, after Trump’s inauguration, and return to his lab at the NIH Bethesda campus. However, with Thursday’s news, he will remain as director for the time being. (Scott, 1/19)

Collins, who was appointed by President Obama in 2009, has said he would like to keep the job. He met with Trump last week in New York. Among the others said to be in the running to head the huge biomedical research agency are Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) and biotech entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong. (Bernstein, 1/19)

Several GOP congressional leaders, including Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, had urged Trump to keep Collins at the helm of the agency. Collins previously told CQ Roll Call he would stay in the role if asked but that he did not know if that would occur. (Williams, 1/19)

Amid the cacophony of confirmation hearings for Cabinet nominees, President-elect Donald Trump reportedly has settled on former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to fill the final Cabinet-department vacancy: secretary of Agriculture. Although consumers may simply think of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) as responsible for overseeing the farming industry, it also plays a key role in promoting health. The department is influential in maintaining the nation’s health in four key areas. (Heredia Rodriguez, 1/20)