National Institute on Aging

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Agency overview
JurisdictionFederal government of the United States
Agency executive
Parent departmentDepartment of Health and Human Services
Parent agencyNational Institutes of Health
Websitewww.nia.nih.gov

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), located in Bethesda, Maryland. The NIA itself is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.

The NIA leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life.[1] In 1974, under Public Law 93-296, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.[2] In January 2011, President Obama signed into law the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, designating the NIA as the primary federal agency on Alzheimer's disease research.[3]

NIA is led by Director, Richard J. Hodes, M.D, and Acting Deputy Director Melinda Kelley, M.D.

Past directors[edit]

Past directors from 1975–present[citation needed]

Portrait Director Took office Left office
Norman Kretchmer (acting) October 1974 July 1975
Richard C. Greulich (acting) July 1975 April 1976
Robert N. Butler May 1, 1976 July 1982
Robert L. Ringler July 16, 1982 June 30, 1983
T. Franklin Williams July 1, 1983 July 31, 1991
Gene D. Cohen (acting) August 1, 1991 May 31, 1993
Richard J. Hodes June 1, 1993 Present

Mission[edit]

NIA's mission is to improve the health and well-being of older Americans through research, and specifically to:

  • Support and conduct high-quality research on:
    • Aging processes
    • Age-related diseases
    • Special problems and needs of the aged
  • Train and develop highly skilled research scientists from all population groups.
  • Develop and maintain state-of-the-art resources to accelerate research progress.
  • Disseminate information and communicate with the public and interested groups on health and research advances and on new directions for research.

Programs[edit]

NIA sponsors research on aging through extramural[4] and intramural[5] programs. The extramural program funds research and training at universities, hospitals, medical centers, and other public and private organizations nationwide.

One such example is the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs). As of 2022, the NIA funds over 30 centers at medical institutions throughout the United States.[6][7]

The intramural program conducts basic and clinical research in Baltimore, Maryland, and on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

See also[edit]

Notes and references[edit]

  1. ^ "About NIA". National Institute on Aging. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Public Law 93-296" (PDF). www.congress.gov.
  3. ^ "National Alzheimer's Project Act" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Grants & Funding". National Institute on Aging. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Labs at NIA". National Institute on Aging. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers: National Research Centers, Local Resources | Alzheimers.gov". www.nia.nih.gov. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  7. ^ "National Institute on Aging Awards $15.4 Million to Continue Support for Cleveland Alzheimer's Disease Research Center – Cleveland Alzheimer's Disease Research Center". Retrieved 2023-03-21.

External links[edit]