About Biomedical Research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the federal agency that funds the vast majority of biomedical research in the United States.  With a mission to “extend healthy life and decrease the burdens of illness and disability”, the NIH provides more than $28 billion of taxpayer money annually to research institutions across the country.

The NIH funds biomedical research at all levels – from basic research addressing fundamental questions of how biological systems work to clinical research trialing new drugs to fight disease.  Recently, great emphasis has been placed on “translational research” – research that literally translates from the bench (basic research) to the bedside, bringing research-informed changes to patient care.  To realize a vision of widespread translational research, the NIH recently funded 24 centers that will facilitate this work; the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI), based at OHSU, is one such center.

OHSU is a major recipient of NIH support to its centers, institutes and researchers, receiving more than $200 million annually in federal funds.  

Go to the National Institutes of Health website