The hallmark of the original building is the proximity of the patient care to scientific labs. The new facility will amplify that tradition, providing a crucial link in rapidly moving biomedical findings in the laboratory into the mainstream of medical practices. The 10-story Lister Hill Center houses the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Both are components of the National Library of Medicine. The Library produces and publishes Index Medicus, a comprehensive monthly listing of articles appearing in the world's leading medical journals.
Scientific progress depends mainly on the scientist.
Supporting and conducting both NIH's extramural and intramural programs are about 15,600 employees, more than 4,000 of whom hold professional or research doctorate degrees. The NIH staff includes intramural scientists, physicians, dentists, veterinarians, nurses, and laboratory, administrative, and support personnel, plus an ever-changing array of research scientists in training. The rosters of those who have conducted research, or who have received NIH support over the years include the world's most illustrious scientists and physicians. Among them are 97 scientists who have won Nobel Prizes for achievements as diverse as deciphering the genetic code and learning what causes hepatitis. Christian B. Anfinsen, Julius Axelrod, D. Carleton Gajdusek, Marshall W. Nirenberg, and Martin Rodbell.