October 20, 2011

The NIH Mission – It’s About Life

NIH'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. Among the goals of the agency are to develop, maintain, and renew scientific human and physical resources to ensure a continued high return on the public investment in research, and to exemplify and promote the highest level of scientific integrity, public accountability, and social responsibility in the conduct of science. In realizing these goals, the NIH provides leadership and direction to programs designed to improve the health of the Nation by conducting and supporting research in various areas.