History

History

For more than a century, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ scientists and supported scientists have paved the way for important discoveries that improve health and save lives.

In fact, hundreds of scientists who won the Nobel Prize conducted their work at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ or were supported by ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ funds. Their studies have led to the development of MRI, understanding of how viruses can cause cancer, insights into cholesterol control, and knowledge of how our brain processes visual information, among dozens of other advances.

The Roots of ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ

The ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ traces its roots to 1887, when a one-room laboratory was created within the Marine Hospital Service (MHS), predecessor agency to the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).

The MHS had been established in 1798 to provide for the medical care of merchant seamen. In the 1880s, the MHS had been charged by Congress with examining passengers on arriving ships for clinical signs of infectious diseases, especially for the dreaded diseases cholera and yellow fever, in order to prevent epidemics. Read .

Chronology of Events

Significant events and major research advances in ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ history.

Legislative Chronology

Federal legislation that had a major influence on the growth of the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ, from its beginning as the Marine Hospital Service in 1798.

¾«¶«Ó°Òµ Reauthorization

¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is responsive to Congressional legislation that adjusts ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ's programs to meet changing research needs. As a result of the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ reauthorization process, ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is able to respond strategically in an era when medical research requires constant innovation and increased interdisciplinary efforts.

Related Links

  • The ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ Almanac â€” facts and figures, legislative history, Nobel Laureates
  • ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ Gallery â€” US presidential visits to the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ campus and historical photos of ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ researchers
  •  â€” from the National Library of Medicine

¾«¶«Ó°Òµâ€™s Scientific Legacy

Image
Dr. Joseph Goldberger seated at a table in a hospital
Dr. Joseph Goldberger seated at a table in a hospital.

The  educates the public about the process of biomedical research and its achievements, like Dr. Joseph Goldberger's discovery of the cause of  in 1916 (above). Visit our  to learn more.

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