National Institute of General Medical Sciences Parent: National Institutes of Health

Part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (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, whole organisms and populations. The Institute also supports research in certain clinical areas, primarily those that affect multiple organ systems. In addition, NIGMS provides leadership in training the next generation of scientists, in enhancing the diversity of the scientific workforce, and in developing research capacities throughout the country. The Institute produces a number of free science education materials on topics such as cell biology, genetics, chemistry, pharmacology, structural biology and computational biology. NIGMS is organized into divisions and a center that support research and research training in a range of scientific fields. At any given time, it supports more than 3,000 investigators and 4,500 research grants — which is more than 11 percent of the research grants funded by NIH.