in 1998, $9 million was set aside to fund the nasa astrobiology institute (nai), an interdisciplinary research effort using the expertise of different scientific research institutions and universities from across the country, centrally linked to ames research center in mountain view, california. gerald soffen former project scientist with the viking program, helped coordinate the new institute. in may, nasa selected eleven science teams, each with a principal investigator (pi). nai was established in july with scott hubbard as interim director. nobel laureate baruch s. blumberg was appointed the first director of the institute, and served from may 15, 1999 – october 14, 2002.