Dr. Anthony Fauci announced Monday that he's stepping down from his positions in government in December, which include his roles as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation and President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser.

In a statement posted to NIAID's website, Fauci said that he's stepping down from his positions to "pursue the next chapter" of his career and that he will continue his work in the coming months and prepare his positions for a leadership change. He also said he's not retiring from science or public health.

"While I am moving on from my current positions, I am not retiring," Fauci said. "After more than 50 years of government service, I plan to pursue the next phase of my career while I still have so much energy and passion for my field." 

Fauci, 81, has advised seven presidents during his 38 years as NIAID director, and helped shape the public health response to infectious diseases including COVID-19, the West Nile virus, Ebola, Zika and the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. It was during the Reagan administration in the '80s that Fauci first served as NIAID director. 

He served both Biden and his predecessor, President Donald Trump, as chief medical adviser during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It was previously reported that Fauci would step away from his government posts by the end of Biden's term. Biden's current term runs through January 2025.

"Thanks to the power of science and investments in research and innovation, the world has been able to fight deadly diseases and help save lives around the globe," Fauci said. "I am proud to have been part of this important work and look forward to helping to continue to do so in the future." 

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