Accelerating Biomedical Research to Improve Health

By Maria C. Freire, Ph.D., Foundation for the National Institutes of Health President and Executive Director

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Biomedical researchers work diligently to understand biological processes to be able to diagnose, prevent and cure disease and address disability. However, these health challenges are often too complex to be solved by a single researcher or even by one organization – they require the expertise, tools and know-how of many in the United States and around the world. This is where the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) plays a vital role.  

The FNIH convenes otherwise diverse or competitive research efforts around a common mission. And in providing expert management for innovative biomedical research programs, the FNIH brings a dynamism, energy and urgency to the task.

Created by Congress, the FNIH plays a unique role in implementing great ideas and fostering powerful public-private partnerships that address problems collaboratively. Each partnership has the right combinations of participants, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), other federal agencies, academia, industry and not-for-profit organizations to produce transformative results. By providing flexible management and funding models that promote innovation, the FNIH leads large-scale projects such as the Lung-MAP clinical trial that uses a precision-medicine approach to match patients to one of several sub-studies testing novel therapies for lung cancer.  

The FNIH’s research projects span disease areas: Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, global health and infections, among others. Importantly, the FNIH also raises funds from individuals and organizations to help train the next generation of scientists through initiatives like the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program and supports the NIH Clinical Center, the nation’s premiere research hospital, by providing lodging for patients, caregivers and their families at the Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge.   

To make these programs possible, the FNIH has raised more than $875 million since 1996. Workplace giving campaigns are essential for the FNIH to continue these programs and foster biomedical research that leads to better health outcomes. Only by working together, can we improve health worldwide. To learn more, please visit FNIH.org. 

To support FNIH's work, please donate to FNIH (Foundation for the National Institutes of Health) through your company's workplace giving program (CFC#29165 if you're a military or federal employee participating in the Combined Federal Campaign). 

If your company would like to start a workplace giving program to support nonprofits like FNIH, click here. We have a portfolio of solutions designed to help large and small organizations give back to the causes they care about.