Bang for the Buck: NIH Impact Pages

Updated Website Showcases NIH's Impact on Health, Science, and Society

BY RACHEL DIAMOND, IRA KUHN, SARAH RHODES, AND KELLY SINGEL, OD

Did you know that in the 1950s and 1960s, intramural researchers at the NIH Clinical Center pioneered the field of chemotherapy, leading to the dramatic increases in cancer survival rates seen today; cracked the genetic code, launching the genetic revolution; and helped develop the automatic blood counter that is now used in everyday bloodwork around the world?

Or that scientists in NIH's Intramural Research Program created Matrigel, a specialized gel that promotes cell growth on a 3D surface and has been cited in more than 13,000 scientific publications? Or that, built on a foundation of NIH-supported research, the United States biomedical industry contributes over $69 billion to the nation's gross domestic product annually and supports over 7 million jobs.

You can read all about these impacts of NIH research and more—including how NIH improves health, revolutionizes science, and serves society—on the recently refreshed and redesigned NIH Impact Pages.

The NIH Impact Pages are an important source of information on the long-term, real-world impact of NIH beyond immediate research findings for many of NIH’s constituents, including Congress, advocacy groups, and the public. With that in mind, the Office of Evaluation, Performance, and Reporting (OEPR) launched a concerted effort to revamp the Impact Pages with a focus on making the website interactive and accessible—and with new content to showcase.

Historically, the Impact Pages had minimal design elements, were text heavy, and had very few pictures. Thanks to a close collaboration with the Office of Communication and Public Liaison, OEPR was able to redesign the website into a more engaging flip card format while still referencing source materials. The pages feature content on the impacts of NIH research on health, science, and society in a way that is eye-catching and interactive and provides additional context with references should anyone want to dig deeper.

But that’s just the look and feel of the revamped pages. It also took a workgroup of more than 100 staff across NIH, including from the Office of Intramural Research, to gather new content for the website.

Today, the Impact Pages feature 130 flip cards illustrating how NIH improves health, revolutionizes science, and serves society, with a myriad of additional topics flagged for future inclusion as NIH’s impacts continue to grow.

OEPR would like to thank everyone who contributed to these pages in many ways, from staff who gathered content to patients who participated in the clinical trials and were featured in some of the images. We encourage everyone to view the pages and share with their personal and professional networks. This was truly a passion project, because with every new impact uncovered, our pride in working at NIH and contributing to these impacts grew.

If you have an idea for a flip card to be featured on the NIH Impact Pages, please email Sarah Rhodes at Sarah.Rhodes@nih.gov.

Rachel Diamond is a Health Science Policy Analyst on the Planning and Reporting team in OEPR. When not strategic planning, she can be found wandering the National Arboretum or connecting with friends and brainstorming ways to advance community-engaged science.

Ira Kukic Kuhn is a Health Science Policy Analyst in OEPR, where she promotes the value of biomedical research through strategic planning, evaluation, and reporting of long-term impacts of NIH activities. When she’s not thinking about the science ecosystem, she likes spending time in nature and cooking with her family.

Sarah Rhodes is Assistant Director for Planning and Reporting, where she leads a team focused on developing OEPR’s role as a centralized resource for strategic planning at NIH while overseeing communications, reporting, and congressional-focused activities for the office. When not supporting the NIH mission, you’ll likely find her trying to keep up with her two girls and their busy schedules.

Kelly Singel is a Health Science Policy Analyst on the Planning and Reporting Team in OEPR. When she’s not thinking about the impact of NIH research, she’s likely looking up at the sky because she saw or heard an interesting bird.