Margaret A. Hamburg, former commissioner of the FDA, has been appointed as the next foreign secretary of the Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences. In this part-time position, Hamburg will work as a senior adviser on international matters to the IOM president and council and as liaison to foreign academies of medicine and science.

Hamburg’s term, which begins on April 6 and is effective through June 30, 2019, follows the service over the past eight and a half years in this role of Jo Ivey Boufford, president of the New York Academy of Medicine.

As IOM engagement in matters of health that extend beyond the U.S. continues to expand, so does the importance of the foreign secretary’s role. Under Boufford’s leadership, the IOM is highly sought after as a partner in international efforts to improve health and advance the role of academies in advising governments on policy issues that impact health.

Hamburg was appointed commissioner of the FDA in May 2009, the second woman in this position. Her past roles also have included senior scientist at the Nuclear Threat Initiative; assistant secretary for policy and evaluation in the HHS; and commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector and the public.