Szarama takes over on an interim basis while the agency searches for a permanent leader for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
CBER oversees vaccines, blood products, cell and gene therapies, making the appointment significant for biotech companies regulated by the FDA.
The move comes amid broader biotech-sector shifts, including renewed efforts to scale bespoke medicines and reflection on genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter's legacy.
Genomics pioneer Craig Venter created synthetic life. Are we ethically prepared for the world his science is now building?
As bespoke gene therapies cost millions, will the FDA's new fast-track rules create cures for the few or for all?