I'm Alan Olga and this is Clear In Vivid, conversations about connecting and communicating.

I think if you are like me, someone who sees the evidence that there was a creator behind

this incredibly awesome, complicated and beautiful universe that as a scientist you get to

explore some of the details of that creation and you learn something that nobody knew before,

then you're getting a glimpse of God's mind and that means that every scientific effort

is also a form of worship and the laboratory is like a cathedral in its own way.

That's Francis Collins, a brilliant scientist who led the Human Genome Project and recently

stepped down after 13 years as head of the world's top biomedical research facility, the

National Institutes of Health.

He's also something of a rarity among scientists and outspoken of angelical Christian.

Not surprisingly our conversation was among the most fascinating I've had in over 200

episodes of Clear In Vivid.

Francis this is so good to see you again, thank you for being on the show.

Alan, it's great to talk to you, it's been a while.

We've had some pretty interesting discussions before about science communication and your

blog and podcasts are all over the place, I'm glad to be part of this.

You've concluded that amazing incredible run as the head of the NIH and retires your lab

which I guess you've been looking forward to for a long time and almost without warning

you were called up to be the acting advisor to the president on science.

Just a few hours ago I learned that the permanent head is going to be confirmed soon.

What does this mean for you or you back to the lab again to try them?

I'm actually in the lab today but I haven't been able to be here a whole lot since the president

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