National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Funds arthritis and musculoskeletal research through NIAMS grant, fellowship, and training programs spanning biology and clinical translation.

NIAMS is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) institute that funds basic, translational, and clinical research on arthritis, rheumatic diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and skin conditions. The institute directs approximately 85% of its annual budget to extramural grants, distributing over $500 million across roughly 1,500 grants and cooperative agreements to universities, hospitals, medical schools, and businesses across the United States and internationally.

NIAMS supports research across 15 scientific programs spanning arthritis biology, bone and cartilage research, muscle disorders, skin immunology, rheumatic diseases, and orthopaedic science. In addition to research grants, NIAMS runs career development (K awards), pre- and postdoctoral fellowships (F awards), and institutional training programs (T32) to build the next generation of scientists in these disease areas.

Note: The FY2026 President's Budget proposed consolidating NIAMS into a new 'National Institute on Body Systems.' As of May 2026, NIAMS remains operationally active and continues issuing grants, but this restructuring proposal is pending Congressional action.