The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was established in 1974 to improve the health and well-being of older adults through research. NIA conducts and supports genetic, biological, clinical, behavioral, social, and economic research on aging and the challenges and needs of older adults. NIA is at the forefront of scientific discovery about the nature of healthy aging to extend the healthy, active years of life. It is also the lead federal agency for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research. NIA supports scientific initiatives and innovation at universities, medical centers, and research institutes across the U.S. and around the world; conducts research at its scientific laboratories in Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland; and maintains an active communications and outreach program to share knowledge and disseminate information to the broader research community and to the public. Its work has led to important scientific discoveries about the aging process, age-related diseases and conditions, and the needs of the growing older adult population.