42 U.S.C. § 285r — Purpose of the Institute

**(a) In general** The general purpose of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (in this section referred to as the “Institute”) is the conduct and support of research, training, the dissemination of health information, and other programs with respect to biomedical imaging, biomedical engineering, and associated technologies and modalities with biomedical applications (in this section referred to as “biomedical imaging and bioengineering”). **(b) National Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Program** (1) The Director of the Institute, with the advice of the Institute’s advisory council, shall establish a National Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Program (in this section referred to as the “Program”). (2) Activities under the Program shall include the following with respect to biomedical imaging and bioengineering: (A) Research into the development of new techniques and devices. (B) Related research in physics, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and other disciplines. (C) Technology assessments and outcomes studies to evaluate the effectiveness of biologics, materials, processes, devices, procedures, and informatics. (D) Research in screening for diseases and disorders. (E) The advancement of existing imaging and bioengineering modalities, including imaging, biomaterials, and informatics. (F) The development of target-specific agents to enhance images and to identify and delineate disease. (G) The development of advanced engineering and imaging technologies and techniques for research from the molecular and genetic to the whole organ and body levels. (H) The development of new techniques and devices for more effective interventional procedures (such as image-guided interventions). (3) (A) With respect to the Program, the Director of the Institute shall prepare and transmit to the Secretary and the Director of NIH a plan to initiate, expand, intensify, and coordinate activities of the Institute with respect to biomedical imaging and bioengineering. The plan shall include such comments and recommendations as the Director of the Institute determines appropriate. The Director of the Institute shall periodically review and revise the plan and shall transmit any revisions of the plan to the Secretary and the Director of NIH. (B) The plan under subparagraph (A) shall include the recommendations of the Director of the Institute with respect to the following: (i) Where appropriate, the consolidation of programs of the National Institutes of Health for the express purpose of enhancing support of activities regarding basic biomedical imaging and bioengineering research. (ii) The coordination of the activities of the Institute with related activities of the other agencies of the National Institutes of Health and with related activities of other Federal agencies. **(c) Membership** The establishment under [section 284a of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section284a&num=0&edition=prelim) of an advisory council for the Institute is subject to the following: (1) The number of members appointed by the Secretary shall be 12. (2) Of such members— (A) six members shall be scientists, engineers, physicians, and other health professionals who represent disciplines in biomedical imaging and bioengineering and who are not officers or employees of the United States; and (B) six members shall be scientists, engineers, physicians, and other health professionals who represent other disciplines and are knowledgeable about the applications of biomedical imaging and bioengineering in medicine, and who are not officers or employees of the United States. (3) In addition to the ex officio members specified in [section 284a(b)(2) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section284a/b/2&num=0&edition=prelim), the ex officio members of the advisory council shall include the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (or the designees of such officers).