National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The Federal focal point for medical research in the United States, the NIH’s mission is to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health for everyone by conducting research in its own laboratories, supporting the research of non-Federal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad, helping in the training of research investigators, and fostering communication of medical and health sciences information. The NIH, comprising 27 separate Institutes and Centers, is one of eight health agencies of the Public Health Service which, in turn, is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).