Mission and Goals

The Mission Statement

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) led the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) contribution to the International Human Genome Project, which had as its primary goal the sequencing of the human genome. This project was successfully completed in April 2003. Now, the NHGRI's mission has expanded to encompass a broad range of studies aimed at understanding the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease.

To that end NHGRI supports the development of resources and technology that will accelerate genome research and its application to human health. A critical part of the NHGRI mission continues to be the study of the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genome research. NHGRI also supports the training of investigators and the dissemination of genome information to the public and to health professionals.

The direction and vision for the future for NHGRI and for genomics research - A Vision for the Future of Genomics Research - was released in April 2003, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Dr. James Watson and Dr. Francis Crick's seminal publication of the structure of DNA.

In 2011, NHGRI launched a new strategic plan — Charting a course for genomic medicine from base pairs to bedside PDF file — articulating a new vision for the future of genomics research and describing the path towards an era of genomic medicine.

Read more about the strategic plan: The Strategic Plan: Charting a course for genomic medicine from base pairs to bedside

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Last Reviewed: May 21, 2012