NIAAA

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is one of the 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was established in 1970 by Congress to address alcohol-related problems through research and public information. The institute funds and conducts research to understand the causes, consequences, prevention, and treatment of alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorders.

NIAAA supports a broad program of basic, translational, and clinical research. Its portfolio includes studies on the biology of alcohol use and dependence, genetics, neuroscience, epidemiology, prevention strategies, health services research, and the development of evidence-based treatments. The institute also specifically addresses fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, aging-related alcohol issues, and comorbidity with other mental and physical health conditions. NIAAA funds extramural research through grants and contracts and conducts intramural research at NIH laboratories.

In addition to research, NIAAA provides information and resources for health professionals, policymakers, educators, and the public. It produces fact sheets, clinical materials, and surveillance data, and it supports training programs for researchers in the field of alcohol science.

Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, NIAAA works with other NIH institutes and federal agencies to advance science and translate findings into practice and policy, with the aim of reducing the burden of alcohol-related harm.