Division of Intramural Research Mission, Vision and Values

The NHGRI Intramural Program is a broad and highly integrated research enterprise that aims to explore human and model organism biology at all levels of organization using state-of-the-art approaches. These efforts involve genome-wide comparisons at the species level, studies of healthy and diseased populations, and phenotype-genotype comparisons. We pursue ambitious interdisciplinary projects because of our strengths in basic, clinical, social, and behavioral research. Achieving our goals requires innovative and, at times, high-risk strategies that utilize a wide range of genomic, genetic, computational, and high-throughput methodologies. Our ability to rapidly pursue cutting-edge research initiatives allows us to tackle the most compelling biomedical problems of our time.

The NHGRI Intramural Program has become a model for successfully translating genetic and genomic discoveries into the clinical care arena. We study an array of disorders - rare as well as common, simple as well as complex - selected for their tractability and applicability to broader problems in biology. Our social and behavioral research is further integrating genomic medicine into community and individual health care. This type of work is critical for realizing the benefits of personalized medicine, addressing health disparities, and improving global health.

Our research is grounded by a number of fundamental tenets. For example, a full understanding of genetic and genomic variation extends from the principles of evolutionary biology, since we believe that the experiments of nature are as important as our own. Similarly, a detailed understanding of genome architecture and function is central to our mission. Finally, studies of development biology, animal models, and basic molecular mechanisms are critical for testing our scientific hypotheses and setting the stage for translational endeavors.

We effectively capitalize on the unique environment provided by the broader NIH Intramural Program and its more than 1,000 investigators who possess remarkable depth and breadth of expertise. In particular, the NIH Clinical Research Center provides an unparalleled infrastructure for supporting our diverse set of clinical research projects. We further contribute to the NIH and larger scientific community by generously disseminating genomic, computational, and high-throughput technologies to others. Finally, an important hallmark of our program is the inclusion of high-risk, imaginative, and potentially high-impact projects in our research portfolio, studies that would be difficult to pursue elsewhere.