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It is impossible to list all of the discoveries made by NIH-supported
investigators. More than eighty Nobel prizes have been awarded for NIH-supported
research. Five of these prizes were awarded to investigators in the NIH
intramural programs. The in-house discoveries have included breaking the
genetic code that governs all life processes, demonstrating how chemicals
act to transmit electrical signals between nerve cells, and describing
the relationship between the chemical composition of proteins and how
they fold into biologically active conformations. In turn, these basic
research discoveries have led to greater understanding of genetically
based diseases, to better antidepressants, and to drugs specially designed
to target proteins involved in particular disease processes. Long-term
research has dispelled preconceptions that morbidity and dementia are
a normal part of the aging process. Some cancers have been cured and deaths
from heart attack and stroke have been significantly lowered. Research
has also revealed that preventive strategies such as a balanced diet,
an exercise program, and not smoking can reduce the need for therapeutic
interventions and thus save money otherwise expended for health care.
In 1887, Dr. Joseph Kinyoun could hardly have imagined the size and
scope of the NIH's present program. As a result of the numerous scientific
opportunities and policy decisions that make up the historical fabric
of the NIH, this premier medical research institution is poised to foster
even more significant contributions to human health in the twenty-first
century.
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Credits
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Poster for 1997 conference on arthritis
and osteoporosis, |
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