Timeline of NIH Institutes and Centers

The complicated history of NIH institutes and centers (ICs) is presented here as a series of timelines. ICs are listed in alphabetical order, with the 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. Congress has even changed the name of NIH as a whole to reflect our evolving mission.National Institutes of Health (NIH) , 19481930 -- National Institute of Health (NIH) (singular)1887 -- Hygienic Laboratory (HL)Institutes (Alphabetical)National Cancer Institute (NCI) , 1937National Eye Institute (NEI) , 19681968 -- 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) , 19761969 -- National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI)1948 -- National Heart Institute (NHI)National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) , 19971989 -- National Center for Human Genome Research (NCHGR)National Institute on Aging (NIA) , 1974National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) , 19921974 -- Became part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA)1970 -- Created as an independent Federal agencyNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) , 19551948 -- 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) , 19861986 -- 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) , 2000Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) , 20081962 -- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) , 19881988 -- 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) , 19981948 -- National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR)National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) , 19881988 -- 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) , 19921992 -- Created as part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA)National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) , 1969National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS ), 1962National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) , 1946,1973,19921992 -- NIMH research components rejoined NIH; NIMH services branches joined a new agency: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); ADAMHA abolished1974 -- NIMH became part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) when it was formed1973 -- NIMH came back to NIH briefly when HSMHA was abolished1967 -- 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 formed1949 -- NIMH established (funded)1946 -- NIMH authorized by CongressNational Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), 20102000 -- National Center on Minority and Health Disparities (NCMHD)1993 -- Office of Research on Minority Health (ORMH)National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) , 19881988 -- 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) , 19931986 -- National Center for Nursing Research (NCNR)National Library of Medicine (NLM) , 19681968 -- Joined NIH1956 -- Armed Forces Medical Library renamed National Library of MedicineCenters (Alphabetical)Center for Information Technology (CIT) , 19981964 -- Division of Computer Research and Technology (DCRT)Center for Scientific Review (CSR) , 19971946 -- Division of Research Grants (DRG)John E. Fogarty International Center (FIC) , 1968National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) , 2011National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), 1962 (dissolved 2011)1990 -- National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)1962 -- Division of Research Facilities and Resources (DRFR)National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), 20141998 -- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)1992 -- Office of Alternative MedicineWarren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center (CC) , 1948 (opened in 1953)