NIH 101

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NIH 101 Why NIH?
Joan P. Schwartz, PhD Assistant Director, Office
of Intramural Research Office of the
Director jps_at_helix.nih.gov
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National Institutes of Health
The mission of the NIH is to uncover new
knowledge that will lead to better health for
everyone by
conducting research in its own laboratories
(intramural) providing support for research
conducted by scientists in universities, medical
schools, hospitals, and other research
institutions throughout the country and abroad
(extramural) training research
investigators fostering the communication of
medical information
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National Institutes of Health
(FY 2008 29.4 billion)
Research Management Support 3
IntramuralResearch 10
Research Grants 71
All Other 6
RDContracts 7
ResearchTraining3
Over 80 of NIH funds support extramural research
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NIH consists of 27 Institutes and Centers
NHLBI
NINR
OD
NIBIB
NCCAM
NIEHS
NCI
NIAMS
CIT
NIDA
NEI
NIMH
CC
NIDDK
NLM
NINDS
NHGRI
NIDCR
NCMHD
NIA
NIDCD
NIAAA
NICHD
NIAID
NIGMS
NCRR
CSR
FIC
Extramural only
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Intramural Program Structure
Scientific Director Laboratories
and Branches Sections and Units
Individual Principal Investigators
(PIs) (tenured senior investigators and
tenure-track investigators)
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How many researchers are at NIH?
1,000 summer students
600 postbaccalaureate trainees
100 medical students
450 graduate students
3,800 postdoctoral fellows

• 300 staff clinicians

900 staff scientists
240 tenure-track investigators
900 senior investigators
1140 intramural research laboratories clinical
branches

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The NIH has 75 buildings on 322 acres in
Bethesda, Maryland
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NIAIDHamilton, MT
NIA, NIDABaltimore, MD
NIHBethesda, MD
NIHBethesda, MD
NIDDKPhoenix, AZ
NIEHSRaleigh/Durham, NC
NIEHSRaleigh/Durham, NC
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Other NIH Research Sites
NIEHS Research Triangle Park, NC NIDA and NIA
Baltimore, MD
NIAID Rocky Mountain Labs, Montana
NIDDK Diabetes/Obesity Phoenix, AZ
NICHD Detroit, MI
NCI Frederick, MD
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Key elements of intramural program

• Intellectual freedom ability to do high-risk,
  high- impact science because of a predominantly
  retrospective review system
• Stable resources and funding for new technology
  and long-term projects
• A critical mass of talent to collaborate with
  recruitment from diverse sources, an eye for
  talent
• Leadership that recognizes the unique features of
  the NIH intramural program and preserves them
  support for unconventional ideas

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Unique Features of Intramural Research

• Well-equipped, safe, modern research laboratories
  (6,800,000 sq. ft.)
• State-of-the-art equipment
• Extensive animal facilities
• Effective technology transfer program

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Unique Features of Intramural Research

• Clinical Center--a hospital dedicated to research
• Access to patients with rare diseases from across
  the U.S. and the world
• ICs with specific disease orientations
• Ability to respond quickly to public health
  threats

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Key intramural achievements

• Development of cell/tissue culture media and
  techniques
• First cure of a solid tumor (choriocarcinoma)
  using chemotherapy
• First clinical trial of lithium for depression
• Critical contributions to understanding the
  cause, pathophysiology, and drugs for HIV-AIDS
• Development of sequence similarity database
  searching and comparison
• Research resulting in 5 Nobel Prizes, including
  the elucidation of the genetic code

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Interdisciplinary Research Areas

• Bench-to-bedside/translational research
• Physics, chemistry, and engineering in biology
• - Structural biology
• - Robotics
• - Tissue engineering
• Computational biology/bioinformatics
• Obesity
• Stem cell research
• Prevention/inflammation

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New Trans-NIH Research Initiatives

• Center for Human Immunology
• Center for Systems Biology and Medicine
• Imaging Initiative
• Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Transplantation
  Center
• NIH Directors Challenge Awards

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Types of Postdoctoral Fellowships Available

• IRTA Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA)
  - for US citizens or permanent residents
• Visiting Fellow Award - for foreign nationals
• For both
• - Must be within 5 yrs of doctoral degree
  conferral
• - First year stipend range 41,200 -47,200
• - Includes health insurance for individual or
  family
• - Appointment for up to 5 years
• Research or Clinical Fellow - for senior fellows
• National Research Council Fellowships
• Intramural Fellowship to Promote Diversity

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NIH organizations which support postdoctoral
fellows
NIH Office of Intramural Training Education NIH
Fellows Committee (FELCOM) IC Offices of
Fellowship Training NIH Scientific Conduct and
Ethics Committee
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Research and Training Activities for Fellows

• Over 100 scientific interest groups
• Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS)
• NIH Directors seminar series
• FAES courses
• Demystifying Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology,
  Clinical Research, Bioinformatics, Genomics and
  Computer courses
• Computer-based training courses

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Bridge research grants for senior fellows

• K99/R00 grants
• K22 grants
• Burroughs-Wellcome bridge grants
• American Heart Assn. Scientist Development Grant

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The Scientist

• Congratulated the NIH
• for being voted among the
• Best Places to Work
• For Postdocs
• 2006
• By the readers of the Scientist

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Web Sites
NIH www.nih.gov Intramural Training
Opportunities http//www.training.nih.gov Extramur
al Training Opportunities http//grants.nih.gov/tr
aining/extramural.htm
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National Institutes of Health

• Unlimited Opportunities for Postdoctoral Fellows