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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§285k National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Title 42 › CHAPTER 6A — PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER III — NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES › Part C — Specific Provisions Respecting National Research Institutes › subpart 11 — national institute of general medical sciences › § 285k

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires the NIH Director, through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Director, to run and support basic medical research, training, health information, and related science programs. These programs must focus on areas that matter to at least two other national research institutes or are outside the main work of any other institute. Must create a program to help research organizations in States that have had a low historic success rate getting institute funding. The help can include technical help with grant applications, help making research plans, and help carrying out those plans. The NIH must also fund projects led by researchers who have not before been principal investigators on such supported projects.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §285k

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)General purpose
The general purpose of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences is the conduct and support of research, training, and, as appropriate, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to general or basic medical sciences and related natural or behavioral sciences which have significance for two or more other national research institutes or are outside the general area of responsibility of any other national research institute.
(b)Institutional development award program
(1)(A)In the case of entities described in subparagraph (B), the Director of NIH, acting through the Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, shall establish a program to enhance the competitiveness of such entities in obtaining funds from the national research institutes for conducting biomedical and behavioral research.
(B)The entities referred to in subparagraph (A) are entities that conduct biomedical and behavioral research and are located in a State in which the aggregate success rate for applications to the national research institutes for assistance for such research by the entities in the State has historically constituted a low success rate of obtaining such funds, relative to such aggregate rate for such entities in other States.
(C)With respect to enhancing competitiveness for purposes of subparagraph (A), the Director of NIH, in carrying out the program established under such subparagraph, may—
(i)provide technical assistance to the entities involved, including technical assistance in the preparation of applications for obtaining funds from the national research institutes;
(ii)assist the entities in developing a plan for biomedical or behavioral research proposals; and
(iii)assist the entities in implementing such plan.
(2)The Director of NIH shall establish a program of supporting projects of biomedical or behavioral research whose principal researchers are individuals who have not previously served as the principal researchers of such projects supported by the Director.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification section 282(g) of this title, which was transferred and redesignated as subsec. (b) of this section by Pub. L. 112–74, div. F, title II, § 221(b)(5)(B), Dec. 23, 2011, 125 Stat. 1088, was based on act
July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IV, § 402(g), as added Pub. L. 103–43, title II, § 202,
June 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 144.

Amendments

2011—Pub. L. 112–74, § 221(b)(5)(A), substituted “National Institute of General Medical Sciences” for “Purpose of Institute” in section catchline, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), and inserted subsec. heading. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–74, § 221(b)(5)(C)(i), (ii), inserted heading and realigned margins. Pub. L. 112–74, § 221(b)(5)(B), transferred subsec. (g) of section 282 of this title and redesignated it as subsec. (b) of this section. See Codification note above. Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 112–74, § 221(b)(5)(C)(iii), substituted “acting through the Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences” for “acting through the Director of the National Center for Research Resources”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 285k

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110