The National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services is the official medical research agency of the US, working to support scientific studies that aim to "turn discovery into health".
As of 2014, 27 Institutes and Centers make up the NIH, each holding a specific research agenda. Each institute is largely dedicated in collecting, interpreting, and sharing information not only to Americans but to anyone who wishes to learn more about various health topics and issues.
Here are some institutes that you may want to explore and learn more from.
National Institute on Aging (NIA) - Est. 1974
NIA leads a national program of research on the biomedical, social, and behavioral aspects of the aging process; the prevention of age-related diseases and disabilities; and the promotion of a better quality of life for all older Americans.
National Cancer Institute (NCI) - Est. 1937
NCI leads a national effort to eliminate the suffering and death due to cancer. Through basic and clinical biomedical research and training, NCI conducts and supports research that will lead to a future in which we can prevent cancer before it starts, identify cancers that do develop at the earliest stage, eliminate cancers through innovative treatment interventions, and biologically control those cancers that we cannot eliminate so they become manageable, chronic diseases.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) - Est. 1986
NIAMS supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) - Est. 1970
NIAAA conducts research focused on improving the treatment and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems to reduce the enormous health, social, and economic consequences of this disease.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) - Est. 1949
NIMH provides national leadership dedicated to understanding, treating, and preventing mental illnesses through basic research on the brain and behavior, and through clinical, epidemiological, and services research.
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) - Est. 1948
NIDCR provides leadership for a national research program designed to understand, treat, and ultimately prevent the infectious and inherited craniofacial-oral-dental diseases and disorders that compromise millions of human lives.
For more information, visit the NIH.gov