The National Institute of General Medical Sciences offers a variety of fact sheets that capture information about the Institute and the research it supports. These fact sheets highlight advances in areas of basic biomedical research and describe the impact of this research on understanding and improving our health.
About NIGMS
NIGMS Fast Facts
Learn about the NIGMS budget, number of grants, organization, how to reach staff members and more.
NIGMS Nobelists
NIGMS could be considered a “Nobel Prize Institute” because of our strong track record of funding scientists who receive this high honor. Learn more about NIGMS-supported Nobel laureates.
NIGMS Diversity Programs
NIGMS offers a number of programs to increase the diversity of the scientific workforce. Get answers to questions often asked about our programs.
Protein Structure Initiative: Pilot Phase
The PSI started in 2000 to develop new methods for generating the structures of lots of protein molecules. Read about its accomplishments during the first five years.
Protein Structure Initiative: Production Phase
The second phase of the PSI started in 2005 and sought to further develop and improve high-throughput structure determination techniques. Read about its accomplishments.
About Science and Health
Anesthesia
Before 1840, surgical patients didn't routinely receive anesthesia. Read about the progress we’ve made—and plan to make—in using and understanding anesthesia.
Artificial Skin
Skin is the largest organ in the body, and it does many things. Find out how artificial skin is being used to replace severely injured or burned skin.
Burns
Heat, chemicals, electricity, sunlight or nuclear radiation can cause tissue-damaging burns. Get answers to questions about burns and related treatments and research.
Cells
Trillions of cells make up our bodies, and researchers continue to learn more about their features and functions. Discover some of the recent advances.
Circadian Rhythms
Our bodies keep time with the help of 24-hour "circadian" rhythms. Get answers to common questions about how these rhythms work and affect our lives.
Genes
Thirty years ago, scientists knew the structure of DNA and that genes code for proteins, but they didn’t know exactly how genes are regulated. Find out what we now know.
How Medicines Work
We're developing a better understanding of drugs and how the body responds to them. Read how this knowledge is helping us improve the way medicines work.
Human Genetic Variation
Everyone is 99.9 percent genetically identical. Learn how variations in the remaining 0.1 percent make each of us unique, affect our health and help us understand genes better.
Model Organisms
The mustard plant, roundworm and fruit fly have taught us a lot about ourselves. Learn more about why scientists study these and other simple organisms.
Modeling Infectious Diseases
Researchers are using computers to create virtual worlds where people get sick. Find out how this helps us understand and prevent the spread of actual infectious diseases.
Personalized Medicines
Everyone responds differently to medicines, and one big reason is genes. Read what scientists are learning by studying how genes affect our responses to drugs.
RNA Interference
RNA interference is a recently discovered mechanism that silence genes. Learn how it works—and how we can harness it to treat disease and study genetic processes.
Sepsis
An overwhelming immune response to infection can cause sepsis. Get more information about sepsis and what we're learning about it.
Structure-Based Drug Design
Structure-based drug design lets scientists use knowledge of protein structures to develop new drugs. Find out how it led to new HIV/AIDS and liver cancer medicines.
Trauma
Trauma is the leading cause of death for people 1 to 44 years old. Learn more about trauma.