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Our Research Initiatives

Key Goals of NIH’s Office of Autoimmune Disease Research

According to the NIH, autoimmune diseases affect around 8% of the U.S. population, with nearly 80% of those affected being women. Despite the large burden of these conditions, many autoimmune diseases remain understudied, and treatment options are limited.

To address this, Congress directed the NIH in 2022 to create the Office of Autoimmune Disease Research (OADR) within the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH). The OADR focuses on coordinating research efforts across multiple NIH institutes, fostering innovation, and promoting collaboration. It also evaluates NIH’s autoimmune disease research portfolio and supports planning and resource sharing to advance the field.

By bringing together expertise from across NIH, OADR aims to drive progress in autoimmune disease research and improve treatment outcomes for the millions affected.

Key goals include:

  • Coordinating the development of a strategic research plan across multiple NIH institutes and centers.
  • Identifying emerging areas of innovation and research opportunities in autoimmune diseases.
  • Fostering collaborative research across NIH institutes, centers, and offices (ICOs).
  • Annually evaluating NIH’s autoimmune disease research (ADR) portfolio.
  • Providing resources to support research planning, collaboration, and innovation.
  • Developing a publicly accessible central repository for autoimmune disease research.