NIH Strategic Plan for Autoimmune Disease Research 2026-2030
The NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Autoimmune Disease Research is the new federal roadmap to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of autoimmune diseases across the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This plan aligns with the work the Global Autoimmune Institute has championed for years—advancing science, education, and resources that bring research closer to the people it serves.
Developed by the Office of Autoimmune Disease Research (OADR-ORWH) following a Congressional directive and enriched by researchers, clinicians, advocacy organizations, and people living with autoimmune diseases, it reflects a shared commitment to make autoimmune diseases a national research priority.
Plan at a glance (FY2026–2030)
Published in July 2025, this inaugural plan will run from 2026 through 2030 and sets shared priorities for autoimmune research across the NIH. It was informed by:
- 83 public responses to a Request for Information (RFI) from scientists, clinicians, advocates, and patients
- NIH’s portfolio analysis of more than 140 autoimmune and related diseases
- Recommendations from the 2022 NASEM report
The roadmap organizes work across NIH into five strategic priorities and five crosscutting themes:
Five Strategic Priorities:
- Accelerate scientific discovery in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and cure
- Promote research to enhance health for people living with and at risk of autoimmune diseases
- Understand the full complexity of autoimmune diseases
- Build and maintain capacity for autoimmune disease research
- Strengthen partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration
Five Crosscutting Themes:
- Harness technologies to advance research
- Build infrastructure for translation
- Use multimodal, data-driven approaches
- Engage all populations in research
- Support community partnerships
What the Autoimmune Community Asked For
From the RFI responses, three major themes emerged:
- Scientific Advances: Better understanding of mechanisms, risk factors, and prevention
- Research Methodology: Studying co-occurring diseases, shared pathways, and cross-disease commonalities
- Workforce: Building and sustaining a skilled, interdisciplinary research community
Input from researchers, clinicians, advocacy groups, and people living with autoimmune diseases strengthened the plan. Common requests included:
- National data systems and improved epidemiology
- Focus on the autoimmune “prodrome” for earlier detection and prevention
- Collaborative clinical trial models that include pediatric and multi-disease participants
- A robust digital ecosystem for data sharing
Get Involved
- Read the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Autoimmune Disease Research (PDF) .
- Join OADR’s public update sessions and submit questions.
- Share your thoughts or questions with GAI via our contact form —your ideas can inspire new articles, research updates, or other resources on our website.