NIH is composed of many separate and distinct Institutes, Centers, and Divisions (ICD's). Each has its own responsibilities and goals. A brief description of these NIH components follows.
- CC – NIH Clinical Center
See http://www.cc.nih.gov/
The NIH Clinical Center (CC) is the clinical research hospital for the National Institutes of Health. Through clinical research, physician-investigators translate laboratory discoveries into better treatments, therapies, and interventions to improve the nation's health. Clinical and laboratory research is conducted shoulder-to-shoulder at the CC and this tandem approach drives all aspects of its operations. The center houses 240 inpatient beds, 90 day-hospital stations and research labs.
- CIT – Center of Information Technology
See http://www.cit.nih.gov/
The Center for Information Technology incorporates the power of modern computers into biomedical programs and administrative procedures of NIH by focusing on three primary activities: conducting computational biosciences research, developing computer systems, and providing computer facilities.
- CSR – Center for Scientific Review
See http://cms.csr.nih.gov/
The Center for Scientific Review has primary responsibility for formulating peer review policies and procedures, assigning applications to supporting ICD's and initial review groups, and providing scientific review of NIH research grants, National Research Service Awards, SBIR Applications, and Research Career Development Applications.
- FIC – John E. Fogarty International Center
See http://www.fic.nih.gov/
The Fogarty International Center promotes international cooperation in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.
- NCCAM – National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
See http://nccam.nih.gov/
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) conducts and supports basic and applied research and training and disseminates information on complementary and alternative medicine to practitioners and the public.
- NCI – National Cancer Institute
See http://www.cancer.gov/
The National Cancer Institute was established in 1937. With the passage of the National Cancer Act and the creation of the National Cancer Program in 1971, NCI acquired increased responsibility for the Nation's effort to diagnose, prevent, treat, and cure the more than 100 diseases known as cancer.
- NCRR – National Center for Research Resources
See http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/
The National Center for Research Resources provides a wide variety of resources and services for biomedical researchers in universities and other institutions nationwide and at the NIH campus in Bethesda.
- NEI – National Eye Institute
See http://www.nei.nih.gov/
The National Eye Institute fosters research to gain knowledge and understanding of the normal function of the eye and visual system, the basic science underlying vision, and the diagnosis and treatment of visual disorders including visual impairment and its rehabilitation.
- NHGRI – National Human Genome Research Institute
See http://www.genome.gov/
One of the newest NIH components, the National Human Genome Research Institute was established to administer NIH's part in the Human Genome Project, an international research effort with the goal of producing a variety of biological maps of human chromosomes and determining the complete chemical sequence of human DNA.
- NHLBI – National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
See http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides leadership for a national program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, blood, and lungs and in the use of blood, the management of blood resources, and sleep disorders research.
- NIA – National Institute on Aging
See http://www.nia.nih.gov/
The National Institute on Aging is responsible for biomedical, behavioral, and social research and training related to the aging process and diseases and other special problems and needs of the older population. Areas of priority include Alzheimer's Disease, osteoporosis, long-term care, frailty, and methods to prevent or reverse age-associated diseases.
- NIAAA – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
See http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was established to provide leadership in the national effort to reduce alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. The long-range goal of NIAAA's research and research training programs is to gain new knowledge that will facilitate achievement of two broad objectives: 1) to reduce the incidence and prevalence of alcohol abuse and alcoholism and 2) to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
- NIAID – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
See http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases conducts and supports research to better understand the causes of allergic, immunologic, and infectious diseases to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing, and treating such illnesses.
- NIAMS – National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
See http://www.niams.nih.gov/
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases is responsible for the Federal biomedical research program on many of the most debilitating diseases affecting the Nation's health. This program includes research on the many forms of arthritis and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the skin, as well as research on the normal structure and function of joints, muscles, bones, skin, and related tissues.
- NICHD – National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
See http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development conducts, fosters, and supports biomedical and behavioral research on child health, maternal health, problems of human development with special reference to mental retardation, family structure, the dynamics of human population, the reproductive process, and medical rehabilitation.
- NIDA – National Institute on Drug Abuse
See http://www.nida.nih.gov/
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is responsible for conducting basic, clinical, and epidemiological research to improve the understanding, treatment, and prevention of drug abuse and addiction and the health consequences of these behaviors. This research is specifically designed to increase knowledge and promote effective prevention and treatment strategies to deal with health problems and issues associated with drug abuse.
- NIDCD – National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
See http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders conducts and supports research and training on normal mechanisms as well as disorders of hearing and other communication processes, including diseases affecting hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language.
- NIDDK – National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
See http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
Research performed by the laboratories and branches of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases covers an extraordinarily diverse area. The basic science laboratories include many facets of modern molecular biology; structural biology, including x-ray, crystallography, and NMR; cell biology; and pharmacology. The clinical branches combine basic science and clinical investigation with patient care. Several branches study endocrine diseases and general aspects of signal transduction, including growth factor and hormone action.
- NIDCR – National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
See http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/
- The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research is the primary sponsor of oral health research and related training in the United States. Its mission is to conduct and support research into the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of orofacial diseases and disorders.
- NIEHS – National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
See http://www.niehs.nih.gov/
Human health and disease result from three interactive elements: environmental exposures, individual susceptibility, and time. The mission of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is to reduce the burden of human illness and dysfunction from environmental exposures by understanding each of these elements and how they interrelate.
- NIGMS – National Institute of General Medical Sciences
See http://www.nigms.nih.gov/
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences supports research and research training in the sciences basic to medicine that form the foundation needed to make advances in understanding disease. In this way, NIGMS helps supply new knowledge, theories, and concepts for disease-targeted studies supported by other NIH components.
- NIMH – National Institute of Mental Health
See http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
The National Institute of Mental Health is dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of mental health. Major research efforts are aimed at finding the biological, sociological, and genetic causes of and better methods of treating illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, conduct and personality disorders, and behavioral disabilities.
- NINDS – National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
See http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Learning about the brain and nervous system; how they work to provide learning, memory, and performance; and how they fail when damaged by trauma, stroke, genetic disorders, and brain cell degeneration is the objective of the research program of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
- NINR – National Institute of Nursing Research
See http://ninr.nih.gov/ninr/
The National Institute of Nursing Research promotes and supports research and research training in universities, hospitals, and research centers across the country and also conducts research with other scientific disciplines at NIH.
- NLM – National Library of Medicine
See http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
The National Library of Medicine is the world's largest research library in a single scientific and professional field. The NLM collects, organizes, and makes available biomedical information to investigators, educators, and practitioners and carries out programs designed to strengthen existing and develop new medical library services to the United States.
- OD – Office of the Director
See http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/index.htm
The Office of the Director can be viewed as the "central headquarters" of NIH. The OD is responsible for setting policy for the entire operation and for managing and coordinating the programs and activities of all the components of the Agency.
- ORS – Office of Research Services
See http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/
The Office of Research Services supports the Bethesda research campus by providing: Space and Facility Management; central printing, mailing, and duplicating facilities; technical leadership and support, insurance of compliance with regulations of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and assistance in the management of radioactive materials and radiation safety; an extensive protection and security program; and new construction and maintenance of NIH facilities.
