The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the federal government charged with the conduct and support of biomedical and behavioral research. It also has major roles in research training and health information dissemination. The NIH mission is "to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability." This book examines the organization, research, funding and awards of the National Institutes of Health, wherein basic research is valued as a source of new and improved treatment and prevention measures, but may also be used as a basis for policy decisions, economic development, and potentially new commercial products. The primary rationale for a federal government role in funding basic research is that private firms do not perform enough such research relative to the needs of society.