Biomedical research never stands still. It is a field driven by the intellect and curiosity of scientists whose discoveries can enhance and protect the lives of people all over the world. Today, spurred by knowledge generated by the thousands of studies supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we are experiencing an awe-inspiring era of scientific breakthroughs and revolutionary insights into the causes and potential solutions to disease and disability.

Paradoxically, NIH, America’s premier biomedical research institution, continues to cope with constrained budgets that critically erode our country’s ability to tap this remarkable opportunity. Industry and academia are not immune from similar challenges. As NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins wrote in the Washington Post in December 2013, we are “at a critical juncture—a moment of exceptional opportunities that demand exceptional attention if their promise is to be fully realized.”

An important game-changing strategy, one that helps redefine the landscape of biomedical research, one that blends priorities and mission, is helping to address these challenges. Creating alliances and partnerships that bring all the key players together—government, industry, the private sector, patient advocates and academic researchers—helps the biomedical community continue to take advantage of the unprecedented scientific opportunities now available. The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) is ideally positioned to create and manage complex collaborative efforts that streamline pathways to discovery and implementation for progress in support of greater knowledge that supports the mission of the NIH—“turning discovery into health.”

On these pages you will read about FNIH initiatives to find new biological markers of disease, to better prevent and treat traumatic brain injuries, to confront malnutrition and intestinal disorders in children of the world’s developing nations and much more. The FNIH is working to build a legacy of success. We are deeply proud of our accomplishments over the past year and we are even more excited about the years to come.