NHGRI

NHGRI or the National Human Genome Research Institute is a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), located in Bethesda, Maryland. The NHGRI was initially established as the National Center for Human Genome Research (NCHGR) in 1989 to lead the International Human Genome Project. The Human Genome Project was successfully completed in April 2003, and the NHGRI's role has evolved from an organization that solely sequenced the human genome to one that now uses genomic data to study human health and disease.

History

The NHGRI was initially established as the National Center for Human Genome Research (NCHGR) in 1989. The primary goal of the NCHGR was to lead the International Human Genome Project, which aimed to map and sequence the human genome. This project was successfully completed in April 2003.

Following the completion of the Human Genome Project, the NCHGR was renamed the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in 2003. The NHGRI's role has since evolved from an organization that solely sequenced the human genome to one that now uses genomic data to study human health and disease.

Research

The NHGRI supports research that aims to understand the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease. This includes research into the genetic basis of disease, the development of new technologies for genomic analysis, and the study of the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics.

Divisions

The NHGRI is composed of three divisions: the Division of Genome Sciences, the Division of Genomic Medicine, and the Division of Policy, Communications, and Education.

The Division of Genome Sciences is responsible for advancing our understanding of the structure and function of genomes. This division supports research into the development of new technologies for genomic analysis, as well as the application of these technologies to the study of genomic function and variation.

The Division of Genomic Medicine aims to accelerate the application of genomic knowledge to medical care. This division supports research into the genetic basis of disease, as well as the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on genomic information.

The Division of Policy, Communications, and Education is responsible for exploring the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics. This division also works to communicate genomic information to the public and to educate healthcare professionals about genomics.

See also

• Genomics
• Human Genome Project
• National Institutes of Health

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