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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Jeanne Marrazzo directs NIAID, the $6.3B federal institute that funds and conducts infectious disease research from Bethesda and a Montana BSL-4 lab.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. NIAID supports research on infectious and immune-mediated illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and autoimmune disorders. NIAID has made 127 investments, with its latest being in Moonlight Therapeutics on October 16, 2025, and has 22 portfolio exits, with EpiVax being its latest on April 02, 2026.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
1948
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Bethesda
Corporate office
Bethesda, MD, United States
Additional offices
Hamilton, MT
Principals
Jeanne Marrazzo
Director
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at NIAID?
NIAID is a US federal agency, not an investment firm. Its budget is appropriated annually by Congress, and research funding decisions are made through peer-reviewed grant processes managed by scientific program officers. The director sets overall strategic priorities.
How does NIAID source proprietary research and development opportunities?
NIAID sources research through investigator-initiated R01 grant applications, cooperative agreements with academic centers, and partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and non-profits. The institute also runs its own intramural laboratories, including the Vaccine Research Center, that initiate programs independent of external applicants.
Is NIAID structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Neither. NIAID is one of the 27 institutes and centers that compose the National Institutes of Health. It does not allocate private capital. Its $6.3 billion budget (fiscal year 2023) is taxpayer-funded and disbursed as grants and contracts, not investments.
Does NIAID participate in fund commitments or only direct research funding?
NIAID does not make fund commitments. All funding is allocated through direct extramural grants (to universities and research hospitals), cooperative agreements, or intramural laboratory operations at its Bethesda and Hamilton, Montana campuses.
How is NIAID related to BARDA and the Strategic National Stockpile?
NIAID conducts and funds early-stage and clinical research that can transition to advanced development by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) within the Department of Health and Human Services. The Vaccine Research Center codeveloped the Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine through a partnership with BARDA.
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