National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Template:Short description Template:Infobox government agency The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) conducts research into the effects of the environment on human disease, as one of the 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is located in the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, and is the only primary division of the NIH located outside of the Washington metropolitan area.

As an institute of the National Institutes of Health, the NIEHS supports environmental health research with the mission of reducing environmental disease, advancing basic, environmental health and clinical science, and increasing the availability of researcher and worker training.

Constitution

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is a part of the National Institutes of Health, which is in turn a part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The mission of the NIEHS is to "reduce the burden of human illness and disability by understanding how the environment influences the development and progression of human disease". NIEHS focuses on peer-reviewed<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> basic science, disease-oriented research, global environmental health, clinical research, and multidisciplinary training for researchers.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

NIEHS researchers and grantees have shown links between lung cancer and asbestos exposure, the developmental impairment of children exposed to lead and the health effects of urban pollution.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 1994 co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in medicine, Dr. Martin Rodbell, served as Scientific Director of the NIEHS from 1985 to 1989.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Later on in 1994, NIEHS scientists assisted in identifying the first breast cancer gene, BRCA1, and, in 1995, identified a gene that suppresses prostate cancer.<ref name=":1" /> Work by NIEHS researchers and grantees has resulted in the development of genetically altered mice to improve and shorten the screening of potential toxins and to help develop aspirin-like anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer side effects.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Institute funds centers for environmental health studies at universities across the United States.

History

NIEHS facility at Research Triangle Park

In 1966, U.S. Surgeon General William H. Stewart helped to create a Division of Environmental Health Sciences within the NIH.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Three years later, the division became its own institute, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Past directors include Paul Kotin, David Rall, Kenneth Olden, David A. Schwartz, and Linda Birnbaum.<ref name="WhatWeDo" />

Directors

he following persons served as NIEHS director:<ref name="WhatWeDo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Directors	Took office	Left office	Template:Abbr
1		Paul Kotin	November 1, 1966	February 28, 1971
2		David Rall	March 1, 1971	October 1, 1990
acting		David G. Hoel	October 2, 1990	June 1991
3		Kenneth Olden	June 1991	2005	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
4		David A. Schwartz	May 22, 2005	August 19, 2007	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
acting		Samuel H. Wilson	August 20, 2007	January 15, 2009	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
5		Linda Birnbaum	January 16, 2009	October 3, 2019	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
acting	Error creating thumbnail:	Richard Woychik	October 4, 2019	June 6, 2020	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
6			June 7, 2020	present	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Organization

The NIEHS is one of 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).<ref name=":0" /> NIEHS is located on Template:Convert in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its current director is Dr. Richard Woychik, who is also concurrently the director of the National Toxicology Program.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The deputy director is Dr. Trevor Archer. The director of the NIEHS reports to the director of the NIH, of which the NIEHS is a member agency.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

NIEHS is composed of:

• Division of Intramural Research (DIR), which is research done at NIEHS
• Division of Extramural Research and Training, which funds research conducted elsewhere
• Division of the National Toxicology Program, which is an interagency program headquartered at NIEHS

External links

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences official website