The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary federal agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. Comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers, the NIH conducts its own scientific research and provides grant funding to researchers across the country and around the world. Its mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The NIH plays a critical role in advancing medical breakthroughs and improving public health outcomes.
