What is NIH?

NIH stands for the National Institutes of Health. It is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It conducts its own scientific research and provides major funding for research performed at universities, medical schools, hospitals, and other research institutions across the country and around the world. NIH's mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and apply that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.