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The NIH Director History For more than a century, NIH scientists and supported scientists have paved the way for important discoveries that improve health and save lives. In fact, 171 scientists who won the Nobel Prize conducted their work at NIH or were supported by NIH funds. Their studies have led to the development of MRI, understanding of how viruses can cause cancer, insights into cholesterol control, and knowledge of how our brain processes visual information, among dozens of other advances. The Roots of NIH The National Institutes of Health traces its roots to 1887, when a one-room laboratory was created within the Marine Hospital Service (MHS), predecessor agency to the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS). The MHS had been established in 1798 to provide for the medical care of merchant seamen. In the 1880s, the MHS had been charged by Congress with examining passengers on arriving ships for clinical signs of infectious diseases, especially for the dreaded diseases cholera and yellow fever, in order to prevent epidemics. Read *A Short History of NIH*. Chronology of Events Significant events and major research advances in NIH history. Legislative Chronology Federal legislation that had a major influence on the growth of the NIH, from its beginning as the Marine Hospital Service in 1798. NIH Reauthorization NIH is responsive to Congressional legislation that adjusts NIH's programs to meet changing research needs. As a result of the NIH reauthorization process, NIH is able to respond strategically in an era when medical research requires constant innovation and increased interdisciplinary efforts. Related Links The NIH Almanac — facts and figures, legislative history, Nobel Laureates
	Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum
	NIH Gallery — US presidential visits to the NIH campus and historical photos of NIH researchers
	History of Medicine — from the National Library of Medicine nih-logo-1969.gif 1969 NIH logo
 A History of the NIH Logo
 hippocrates-tree-stamp-1959.jpg Tree of Hippocrates Stamp.
 The Tree of Hippocrates
 This page last reviewed on October 2, 2023
 NIH’s Scientific LegacyDr. Joseph Goldberger seated at a table in a hospital.



The Office of NIH History educates the public about the process of biomedical research and its achievements, like Dr. Joseph Goldberger's discovery of the cause of pellagra in 1916 (above). Visit our virtual exhibits to learn more.Always There: The Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D.Always There: The Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D.



A vital force in polio vaccine research. A staunch advocate for diversity. An NIH icon. Read the Ruth Kirschstein story, now available free for eReaders. Read the Book
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