Scoop: Former FDA head Scott Gottlieb rejoins VC firm

Scott Gottlieb, who recently stepped down as the head of the Food and Drug Administration, has rejoined venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates as a full-time investing partner, Axios has learned.

Context: Gottlieb had been a venture partner with NEA before President Trump tapped him to lead the FDA, where he became known for cracking down on e-cigarettes and working to battle the opioid epidemic.

• Gottlieb previously spent a decade with NEA, but the new role is more substantive. He's expected to lead investments in life sciences startups and take board seats.
• He had worked at the FDA as deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs between 2005 and 2007, so he "already understood the intersection between policy and innovation," but says his most recent stint introduced him to new areas like food innovation — like synthetically engineered food ingredients and cultured meats.
• Gottlieb also recently rejoined the American Enterprise Institute as a resident scholar, and he plans to maintain that position.

Go deeper: A look at Scott Gottlieb's legacy as FDA head