Timeline of NIH Institutes and Centers

The complicated history of NIH institutes and centers (ICs) is presented here as a series of timelines, listing ICs in alphabetical order, then each IC's most recent title first. This list also includes defunct ICs for historical context.

Since its foundation in 1887, NIH has included dozens of institutes and centers. Even the overall NIH name has been changed via congressional legislation to reflect its evolving mission.

National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1948

1930 -- National Institute of Health (NIH) (singular)
1887 -- Hygienic Laboratory (HL)

Institutes (Alphabetical)

National Cancer Institute (NCI), 1937

National Eye Institute (NEI), 1968

1968 -- Split from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness; for history, see the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), 1976

1969 -- National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI)
1948 -- National Heart Institute (NHI)

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), 1997

1989 -- National Center for Human Genome Research (NCHGR)

National Institute on Aging (NIA), 1974

National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), 1992

1974 -- Became part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA)
1970 -- Created as an independent Federal agency

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), 1955

1948 -- National Microbiological Institute (NMI) (included Divisions of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Diseases, and Biologics Standards from National Institute of Health)
1887 -- Hygienic Laboratory (HL)

National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (NIAMS), 1986

1986 -- Split from the National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; for history, see National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), 2000

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), 2008

1962 -- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 1988

1988 -- Split from the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke; for history, see National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), 1998

1948 -- National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR)

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), 1988

1988 -- Split from the National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases [the split also created the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
1981 -- National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIADDK)
1972 -- National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism, and Digestive Diseases (NIAMD)
1950 -- National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases (NIAMD)
1948 -- Experimental Biology and Medicine Institute (EBMI) (included Divisions of Pharmacology and Chemistry of the National Institute of Health)

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 1992

1992 -- Created as part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), 1969

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), 1962

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 1946,1973,1992

1992 -- NIMH research components rejoined NIH; NIMH services branches joined a new agency: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); ADAMHA abolished
1974 -- NIMH became part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) when it was formed
1973 -- NIMH came back to NIH briefly when HSMHA was abolished
1967 -- NIMH left NIH and became separate bureau within the Public Health Service, and then joined Health Services and Mental Health Administration (HSMHA) when it was formed
1949 -- NIMH established (funded)
1946 -- NIMH authorized by Congress

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), 2010

2000 -- National Center on Minority and Health Disparities (NCMHD)
1993 -- Office of Research on Minority Health (ORMH)

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), 1988

1988 -- Split from the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke [the split also created the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)]
1975 -- National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NINCDS)
1968 -- National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS)
1968 -- National Institute of Neurological Diseases (NIND)
1968 -- National Eye Institute (NEI)
1950 -- National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness (NINDB)

National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), 1993