Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
NIH Intramural Research Program
open-in-new
<p>The NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) is the internal research program of the <a href="/facts/National_Institutes_of_Health/G3Eytfcc">National Institutes of Health</a> (NIH), known for its synergistic approach to <a href="/facts/Biomedical_science/4VD878s1">biomedical science</a>. With 1,200 <a href="/facts/Principal_Investigator/GXE6ILvW">Principal Investigators</a> and over 4,000 <a href="/facts/Postdoctoral/uGIGIC1X">Postdoctoral</a> Fellows conducting basic, <a href="/facts/Translational_research/W1U7jjmt">translational</a>, and clinical research, the NIH Intramural Research Program is the largest biomedical research institution on earth. The unique funding environment of the IRP facilitates opportunities to conduct both long-term and high-impact science that would otherwise be difficult to undertake. With rigorous external reviews ensuring that only the most outstanding research secures funding, the IRP is responsible for many scientific accomplishments, including the discovery of <a href="/facts/Fluoride/LpqNMzwa">fluoride</a> to prevent tooth decay, the use of <a href="/facts/Lithium_(medication)/G6Gy0nJU">lithium</a> to manage <a href="/facts/Bipolar_disorder/aMDwXbV0">bipolar disorder</a>, and the creation of <a href="/facts/Vaccines/QcXzLug2">vaccines</a> against <a href="/facts/Hepatitis/FIN87T5e">hepatitis</a>, <i><a href="/facts/Haemophilus_influenzae/wqIpoDI1">Hemophilus influenzae</a></i> (Hib), and <a href="/facts/Human_papillomavirus/7XW8mjG2">human papillomavirus</a> (HPV). In addition, the IRP has also produced or trained 21 <a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize/3z1Y3oFL">Nobel Prize</a>-winning scientists. </p>