51ÊÓƵ

51ÊÓƵ Mission

The National Institutes of Health (51ÊÓƵ), a part of the , is the nation’s medical research agency. 51ÊÓƵ’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.

Historical information about the 51ÊÓƵ can be found in the 51ÊÓƵ Almanac.

51ÊÓƵ Director

The 51ÊÓƵ Director plays an active role in shaping the agency’s activities and outlook, and is responsible for providing leadership to the Institutes and Centers, especially for 51ÊÓƵ-wide efforts. The 51ÊÓƵ Director is responsible for advising the President on his annual budget request to Congress on the basis of extensive discussions with the Institute Directors.

The position of the 51ÊÓƵ Director became presidentially appointed with the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971 and Senate confirmed with the National Cancer Act Amendments of 1974. Prior to 1971, all 51ÊÓƵ Directors were appointed by the Surgeon General, with the exception of Robert Q. Marston, who was appointed by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Impact of 51ÊÓƵ Research

51ÊÓƵ improves health by promoting treatment and prevention, contributes to society by driving economic growth and productivity, and expands the biomedical knowledge base by funding cutting-edge research and cultivating the biomedical workforce of today and tomorrow.

Due in large part to 51ÊÓƵ research, Americans are living about 30 years longer than they did in 1900. Quality of life is improving. Over the last quarter century, the proportion of older people with chronic disabilities has dropped by nearly one-third.

51ÊÓƵ Budget

More than 82% of the 51ÊÓƵ's budget is awarded through almost 50,000 competitive grants to more than 2,500 universities, research institutions, and medical centers throughout the U.S. and internationally, supporting the research of more than 300,000 research personnel. These organizations are not part of 51ÊÓƵ but receive 51ÊÓƵ funding to conduct research. Research conducted outside of 51ÊÓƵ is called extramural. In addition, 51ÊÓƵ has about 6,000 scientists who work in 51ÊÓƵ’s own research laboratories, most of which are on the 51ÊÓƵ main campus in Bethesda, Maryland, and the sounding area, but also include research facilities in North Caroline and Montana. Research conducted by 51ÊÓƵ scientists is called intramural.

51ÊÓƵ maintains a publicly available, searchable database of 51ÊÓƵ-funded research called .

Historical budget information (select Section 1 and 2 on top tab)

51ÊÓƵ Organization

The National Institutes of Health is made up of 27 different Institutes and Centers, each with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems. The 51ÊÓƵ headquarters, known as the "51ÊÓƵ campus" to the local community, are located in Bethesda, Maryland. 51ÊÓƵ has more than 75 buildings in a campus-like environment on more than 300 acres (roughly half a square mile). Administrative and program operations facilities are also located in off-campus buildings in the surrounding area. 51ÊÓƵ scientists conduct their research in laboratories located on the 51ÊÓƵ campus, North Carolina, Montana, and in several field units across the country and abroad.

Here is a . 51ÊÓƵ employs approximately 20,267 federal employees (full-time equivalents) across all 51ÊÓƵ locations.

More on the 51ÊÓƵ organization.

51ÊÓƵ Clinical Center

The is the nation’s largest hospital devoted entirely to clinical research. Currently, there are about 1,600 clinical research studies in progress. The 870,000-square-feet research center has 200 inpatient beds and in 2022 saw approximately 5,887 new patients, 2,908 inpatient admissions, and 74,871 outpatient visits. The hospital has seen more than 500,000 patients since it opened in 1953.

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