National Institute of General Medical Sciences
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The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) is one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the principal medical research agency of the United States Federal Government. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Overview
Template:One source section The NIGMS supports basic research that increases understanding of biological processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. NIGMS-funded scientists investigate how living systems work at a range of levels, from molecules and cells to tissues and organs, in research organisms, humans, and populations. Additionally, to ensure the vitality and continued productivity of the research enterprise, NIGMS provides leadership in training the next generation of scientists, in enhancing the diversity of the scientific workforce, and in developing research capacity throughout the country.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
All NIH Institutes and Centers support basic research that is relevant to the diseases, organ systems, stages of life, or populations within their mission areas. In contrast, NIGMS supports fundamental research that does not focus on those specific areas. NIGMS' research mission is aimed at understanding the principles, mechanisms, and processes that underlie living organisms, often using research models. NIGMS also supports the development of fundamental methods and new technologies to achieve its mission. NIGMS-supported research may utilize specific cells or organ systems if they serve as models for understanding general principles.<ref name=":0" />
NIGMS also supports research in specific clinical areas that affect multiple organ systems: anesthesiology and peri-operative pain; sepsis; clinical pharmacology that is common to multiple drugs and treatments; and trauma, burn injury, and wound healing.
NIGMS is organized into the following divisions that support research, research training, and capacity building in a range of scientific fields:<ref name=":0" />
- Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences
- Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
- Division of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry
- Division for Research Capacity Building
- Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity
NIGMS was established in 1962. In Fiscal Year 2017, the institute's budget was $2.6 billion. The vast majority of this money funds grants to scientists at universities, medical schools, hospitals, and other research institutions throughout the country. At any given time, NIGMS supports more than 3,000 investigators and 4,000 research grants—around 11 percent of the total number of research grants funded by NIH as a whole. Additionally, NIGMS supports approximately 26 percent of the NRSA trainees who receive assistance from NIH.<ref name=":0" />
NIGMS produces a number of free science education materials<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> on topics such as cell biology, genetics, chemistry, pharmacology, structural biology, and computational biology. The institute also produces the magazine Findings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Past directors
The following people have served as Director of the NIGMS:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Template:Abbr | Portrait | Director | Took office | Left office | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
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Clinton C. Powell | July 1962 | July 1964 | |
| 2 | 
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Frederick L. Stone | August 1964 | April 1970 | |
| 3 | 
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DeWitt Stetten Jr. | October 1970 | August 1974 | |
| 4 | 
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Ruth L. Kirschstein | September 1974 | June 30, 1993 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| acting | 
|
Marvin Cassman | July 1, 1993 | August 1996 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 5 | August 1996 | May 2002 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| acting | 
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Judith H. Greenberg | May 2002 | November 2003 | |
| 6 | 
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Jeremy M. Berg | November 2003 | July 12, 2011 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| acting |
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Judith H. Greenberg | July 13, 2011 | July 2013 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 7 |
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Jon R. Lorsch | August 2013 | Present | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Research advances
Among the advances that scientists have made with NIGMS support are:
- Discovering a gene-silencing process called RNA interference,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or RNAi, that is both a powerful research tool and a promising new approach for treating diseases.
- Revealing how a protein's shape<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> affects its function, which plays a key role in health and disease and also informs the design of new drugs.
- Increasing survival from burn injury,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in part by improving methods of wound care, nutrition and infection control.
- Shedding light on the critical functions of carbohydrates,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> sugar molecules found on all living cells that are vital to fertilization, inflammation, blood clotting and viral infection.
- Modeling infectious disease outbreaks<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the impact of interventions through computer simulations to provide valuable information to public health policymakers.
- Developing new methods to look inside cells<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and other living systems. These approaches have advanced what we know about basic life processes in a range of organisms.