Behind every breakthrough is a person with a story — and a reason why they care. From researchers and industry leaders to patients and families, meet the people whose passion is driving progress and transforming lives.
Because when I was an NIH-supported scholar, I learned that the treatment my mom was undergoing for breast cancer was developed by NIH-supported researchers. Today, she is a 12-year cancer survivor.
Because my research is directly important to people like me looking to raise healthy kids.
Because my research investigating how living near oil and gas sites might affect reproductive health will help fill an important knowledge gap and inform public policy.
Because the promise of biotechnology to improve lives – from individuals to entire communities – has always motivated me.
Because I've loved science my whole life and my excitement about research in my field only grows. I recently completed my PhD and am transitioning to a post-doctoral position soon.
Because I have had a front row seat to the remarkable progress in science and medicine made possible the extraordinary investment of U.S. taxpayers.
Because I witnessed the battle my grandmother fought against Alzheimer’s disease. At such a young age, I could understand how critical a biomedical breakthrough would be to this devastating disease.
Because for over 20 years, different forms of NIH funding created the cornerstone of my work, enabling my teams and me to launch and contribute to groundbreaking fields.
I am a breast cancer survivor thanks to better treatment options than my grandmother, and I am a parent of a pediatric cancer survivor given the option to participate in a clinical trial.
Because biomedical research affects me both personally and professionally. I am a biomedical engineer as well as a tetraplegic due to spinal cord injury.
Because advances made by NIH scientists have enabled my younger brother and several family members to live lives that would not have been possible otherwise.
Because I'm an ovarian and uterine cancer survivor, and I know that lives are saved because of medical research.
Because the products I have developed have revolutionized how cancer is detected and treated.
Because I want to help people through science and contribute to developing new treatments for people who suffer from joint pain.
Because I believe my research has the power to change lives.
Because science is a process for discovering new knowledge and finding out something about how the world works that no one else knows (until you share your discovery!)
Because biomedical research is one of the greatest natural resources we have in this country.
Because drug addiction is one of the biggest economic problems in our country. It kills more people than any other disease every year, and there is no cure for it.
Because NIH funding of academic research was a key enabler of my lifelong career in the life sciences.
Because, as a researcher and teacher, science doesn’t just play a role in my life, it is my life. I live, eat, and breathe being a scientist.
Because NIH support as a graduate student and now as an associate professor has not only helped launch my career but contributed to public health through my research.
Because through NIH research I contributed to the discovery of new, unexplored pathways for antibiotics and gained laboratory expertise which has supported my success in graduate school.
Because I love research and serving the public through science.
Because I am a scientist, a mother of two young children, and a two-time cancer survivor.
Because I want to move adverse drug reactions from the 4th leading cause of death and disability to the 100th.
Because biomedical research is how I help create better outcomes for families affected by serious health conditions, one study at a time.
Because without the strategic support of NIH training opportunities, I would not be in a position to help address some of the most salient issues facing young people today.
Because I am a breast cancer patient with a much better chance of survival because of a new treatment related to NIH-funded research I did 25 years ago as a graduate student.
Because I have dedicated my career to advancing our understanding of cancer, improving diagnostic techniques, and driving treatment strategies that save lives.
Because I have witnessed firsthand how NIH-supported science drives life-saving discoveries and smarter, more secure medical systems.
Because NIH’s support empowered me to explore and understand how materials can impact and advance cell culture – and ultimately, help develop tools that make drug production more routine and efficient.
Because too often, anxiety disorders are overlooked or dismissed as unimportant, despite being the most common category of mental illness.
Because I have dedicated my career to two urgent questions: Why do young people die by suicide? And how can we prevent it?
Because I witnessed firsthand the daily marvel of scientific discovery translating into improved lives.
Because my 85-year-old mom's eyesight has improved significantly as the result of a macular degeneration treatment made possible by biomedical research.
Because I have always been interested in biomedical research, especially understanding disease at the cell and molecular level.
Because my life has been touched by cancer many times – I’ve lost my mother, father and sister to the disease
Because a pharmacist’s perspective is desperately needed, especially given how many scientific advancements revolve around medications.
Because nothing I have done since starting in a lab in 1980 would have been possible without NIH funding.
Because the consequences of PTSD decrease the quality of life and even lifespan for patients, many of whom are military personnel.
Because it is my life's honor to do this work and NIH support makes it possible, allowing me to balance my clinical work in the emergency department with my research.
Because, for me, biomedical research is a tool for impact—confronting inequities, strengthening systems, and saving lives.
Because NIH funding and interactions have been an essential contributor to my own growth as a scientist and a person.
Because I hope my research will preserve vision in the millions of people impacted by low vision and allow them to lead healthy lives.
Because when we better understand what is happening in the body, we can find ways to better treat diseases and improve the lives of people who experience them.
Fueling the future starts with NIH research.
Investing in the NIH means more than supporting medical breakthroughs — it means saving lives, strengthening our economy, and securing America’s leadership in science and innovation. NIH funding creates jobs in every state, trains the next generation of researchers, and powers progress across critical industries.
#keepNIHstrong