The research mission of the NIDDK was defined by the U.S. Congress when it established the Institute: “The general purpose of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases...is the conduct and support of research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to diabetes mellitus and endocrine and metabolic diseases, digestive diseases and nutritional disorders, and kidney, urologic, and hematologic diseases.”