Medicine and health care Science and technology in the United States

thomas hunt morgan won nobel prize in physiology or medicine in 1933 discoveries elucidating role chromosome plays in heredity.



gene therapy using adenovirus vector. in cases, adenovirus insert new gene cell. if treatment successful, new gene make functional protein treat disease.



edward witten

as in physics , chemistry, americans have dominated nobel prize physiology or medicine since world war ii. private sector has been focal point biomedical research in united states, , has played key role in achievement. of 2000, for-profit industry funded 57%, non-profit private organizations such howard hughes medical institute funded 7%, , tax-funded national institutes of health (nih) funded 36% of medical research in u.s. however, 2003, nih funded 28% of medical research funding; funding private industry increased 102% 1994 2003.

the nih consists of 24 separate institutes in bethesda, maryland. goal of nih research knowledge helps prevent, detect, diagnose, , treat disease , disability. @ given time, grants nih support research of 35,000 principal investigators. 5 nobel prize-winners have made prize-winning discoveries in nih laboratories.

nih research has helped make possible numerous medical achievements. example, mortality heart disease, number-one killer in united states, dropped 41 percent between 1971 , 1991. death rate strokes decreased 59 percent during same period. between 1991 , 1995, cancer death rate fell 3 percent, first sustained decline since national record-keeping began in 1930s. , today more 70 percent of children cancer cured.

with of nih, molecular genetics , genomics research have revolutionized biomedical science. in 1980s , 1990s, researchers performed first trial of gene therapy in humans , able locate, identify, , describe function of many genes in human genome.

research conducted universities, hospitals, , corporations contributes improvement in diagnosis , treatment of disease. nih funded basic research on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (aids), example, many of drugs used treat disease have emerged laboratories of american pharmaceutical industry; drugs being tested in research centers across country.