Lori A. Henderson, PhD
Chief, Clinical Grants and Contracts Branch and Program Director

Dr. Lori Henderson is the Chief, Clinical Grants and Contracts Branch and a Program Director who joined the Clinical Investigations Branch in CTEP in 2019. She manages a portfolio of clinical grants covering the hematologic malignancies as well as activities related to the NCI collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network and other projects in the hematologic and transplant fields. Dr. Henderson also serves on select trans-NIH and National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) interagency subcommittees. As the NCI Representative, she provides guidance to the NIH Office of Extramural Research on the NIH Clinical Trials Stewardship Reforms and leads the NCI Stewardship Committee's efforts to implement these reforms. Currently, she also covers clinical grants involving brain, head and neck, lung, liver, colorectal, pancreatic, and sarcoma cancers, plus neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma and neurofibromatosis.

Dr. Henderson initially joined NCI in 2011 as a Program Director in the Clinical Trials Branch of the Cancer Imaging Program. During this time, she managed clinical research grants that explored advances in medical imaging via clinical trials. This included the management and oversight of Phase 2 and 3 trials conducted by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network. She also served on the NSTC Committee on Science Interagency Working Group that developed the 2017 Roadmap for Medical Imaging R&D. As the NIH Representative on the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee for over 10 years, she promoted the NIH interest in biomedical R&D through strategic plans and activities associated with the National Nanotechnology Initiative.

Dr. Henderson has a Ph.D. in Polymer Science (Chemistry-Engineering discipline) from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, which laid the groundwork for understanding key design features in biomaterials for health-related research and chemical insight into biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels. Her professional experience as a scientist and global project leader at Novo Nordisk involved the development and management of large, diverse research programs supported by federal grants and new business incubators from different industries.

Contact Information:
National Cancer Institute
9609 Medical Center Dr., MSC 9739
For USPS: Bethesda, MD 20892-9739
For Express and Courier: Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 240-276-5930
Fax: 240-276-7892
Email: hendersonlori@mail.nih.gov