The Institute of Child Health and Human Development (ICHHD) was founded on the 15th of April 1999. The establishment of the institute was one of the initiatives of Dr. Perla Santos-Ocampo, who was the Chancellor of University of the Philippines Manila. The Institute’s mission is to develop, and implement relevant research programs and activities that will foster the health, development of children. ICHHD is a leading global partner in development and implementing research in child health, development and welfare. Since its inception, the Institute has conducted research on diverse topics, translating into local and international policies and guidelines. Aside from research, faculty members have become content and technical experts for various national and international organizations on other vaccine-preventable diseases, tuberculosis, environmental pollution and toxicants, nutrition, and neurologic infections. Their respective expertise have been utilized in training and education, clinical practice guideline development, and policymaking relevant to child health.

As approved by the UP BOR on 17 April 1997, the Institute primarily conducts relevant research for the improvement of health care using the principles of clinical epidemiology and its related disciplines and to provide technical services in support of research development. The Institute promotes expertise and conduct of essential research in health care and formulation and adoption of health policies emanating from these researches.

ICE has established itself as a leader in conducting clinical epidemiologic research that served as the basis for health policies and clinical practice guidelines. The Institute is recognized for its expertise in doing health systems and policy research, program monitoring and evaluation, and implementation research that provide guidance on the direction of health programs and policies in the country. Its faculty has been in the forefront of issues of public health importance, advocating for rigorous and ethical conduct of research, independent critical appraisal of evidence towards the formulation of evidence-based recommendations and health policies. ICE also established its role as a reliable resource for technical assistance in clinical research, health policy and systems research, environmental and occupational health research, statistical analysis, database design, and data management.

IHPDS, created upon BOR approval in 27 May 1999, espouses a multi-disciplinary, evidence-based, and multi-organizational approach to health policy research, formulation, and development. As the foremost academe-based health policy research center, it shall serve as the authority for applied health systems research, health economic research, and policy analysis and advocacy; a platform for implementing broad-based, multi-disciplinary approach to real world problems affecting health and development; and a source of learnings and solutions that are actionable, robust, empirically illuminated and validated for the benefit and use of policymakers and other stakeholders.

The Institute of Herbal Medicine, created upon approval of the UP Board of Regents on 29 March 2007, is the recognized leading authority on herbal medicine research and development in the Philippines. The IHM undertakes scientific, ethical, and culturally-sensitive researches and development on Philippine medicinal plants in an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach enhancing their rational use in the community and promoting the growth of the national pharmaceutical industry. The Institute documents the healing knowledge and practices of the Philippine ethno-linguistic groups, conducts studies to determine the efficacy and safety of selected medicinal plants for use in the community, and advocates the rational use of safe and effective medicinal plants by the public and health care providers.

The Institute of Herbal Medicine conducts the Philippine Herbal Medicine Summits with the objective of bringing together all stakeholders of herbal medicines including those involved in research, funding, manufacturing, distribution, regulation, and consumption in order to share best practices as well as to work together in improving the state of herbal medicine drug development in the country. The members of the academe, pharmaceutical industry, government funders, regulators and consumers came together and found ways to cooperate and collaborate. As of 2021, the Institute has successfully conducted 3 Summits.

The Institute of Human Genetics (IHG) was created during the 1129th meeting of the UP Board of Regents on February 25, 1999 to promote health by understanding the genetic basis of common diseases in the Filipino population through diagnosis and early detection of potentially treatable genetic conditions.

The IHG is the largest provider of genetic services in the country, which consists of dedicated geneticists, physicians, nurses, dietitians, social workers, medical technicians, biochemists, chemists, biologists, and administrative support staff who are committed to bringing genomic medicine closer to Filipinos. To date, the Institute has 7 units – all of which are ISO 9001:2015- certified – providing support, research, and excellence in training, education, comprehensive patient care, counseling, and family support. IHG is the first Institute at NIH that has gained its ISO 9001: 2008 in 2015, and later migrated to ISO 9001:2015 in 2018. It has just been awarded its renewed ISO 9001:2015 certificate that is valid until 2024. It continues to be of service to the people, and at the same time offers quality service with its Quality Management System in place:

IMBB aims to promote and implement research focused on prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of Infectious diseases that pose as major threats and primary causes of mortality in the Philippines.

One of the four founding units that comprised the NIH, the Institute was created on 29 September 1994 during the 1080th Meeting of the UP Board of Regents. With strong support from the University and the Department of Science and Technology, IMBB is reinvigorating its efforts in advancing medical and health-related biotechnology research, with a focus on the top ten causes of morbidity and mortality in the country. Flagship programs have generated breakthroughs in dengue, HIV, and neglected tropical diseases. Ongoing work includes zoonotic diseases and emerging viral infections with the potential to inform national policy and aid in the delivery of public health to the Filipino people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, IMBB has been at the forefront of the scientific and medical response with key contributions in innovative diagnostics, testing, genomics, and policy work. The UP-NIH Molecular Laboratory was the first non-subnational laboratory certified as a COVID-19 testing lab on 20 March 2020 and was run by IMBB project staff, personnel, and volunteers. In the near future, IMBB will continue to play its role in pandemic readiness and plans to spearhead cutting-edge research in SARS-CoV-2 viral evolution and vaccine efficacy.

The Institute, created upon BOR approval in October 1998, conducts research in the field of pharmaceutical sciences and provides mechanisms for the dissemination and utilization of research and human resources training. Since its creation the IPS has become a center for pharmaceutical research on herbal, animal, marine, and synthetic medicines, a training center for pharmaceutical human resource development, and a provider of analytical services for marketed drugs.

With its vision to be the national and regional leader in innovative pharmaceutical science research and services, the IPS develops and provides the facilities and mechanisms for dissemination and utilization of research and development outputs, expertise, and resources to establish an environmental culture for research and development. IPS also complements the graduate program, faculty development, and research staff training of UP Manila, and serves as a repository of information and source of technical expertise on matters related to pharmaceutical sciences.

The creation of the National Institutes of Health was approved by the Board of Regents at its 1094th meeting on 26 January 1996, and with it, the Gerontology and Disabilities Programs Cluster, through the Committee on Aging and Degenerative Diseases (COMADD). Various physicians, academicians, and allied medical professionals within the University of the Philippines system pioneered the COMADD. Its first Chairman was Dr. Clemente Amante, Vice-Chair Dr. Shelley de la Vega, members Dr. Ramon Abarquez, Dr. Jaime Montoya, Dr. May Gose, Dr. Ester Bitnga, Dr. Letty Kuan, Dr. Lourdes Ledesma, Dr. and Alvin Mojica. Within a few years its membership expanded to include Dr. Doris Camagay (Dept. Family Medicine), Ms. Elizabeth Limos (PGH Nutrition), Dr. JD Agapito (UPM CAS), Dr. Araceli Balabagno and Dr. Lydia Manahan (UPCN), Ms. Gayline Manalang (CPH), Mr. Edward James Gorgon (CAMP)Dr. Alvin Mojica and Dr. Dorothy DyChing-Bing Agsoaoay (PGH Dept. Rehabilitation Medicine).

The Board of Regents of the University approved the establishment of the Institute on Aging (IA) on 04 December 2012, through a Resolution during its 1284th meeting. Its first members were Shelley de la Vega, MD, MSc (ClinEpi), FPCGM (Director); Maria Stella Giron, MD, PhD (Faculty) and Ms. Angely Garcia, RN, MPH (University Research Associate II).

The National Clinical Trials and Translation Center will be the major resource hub for health research and capacity building, creating new knowledge that will elevate the standards of health care for Filipinos.

The NCTTC will address the increase in the number of health professionals conducting clinical trials research of international standards, encourage collaboration with other fields needed for translation of findings in health research such as social sciences, economics, and public health, and place UP in a leading role, nationally and internationally, as a Center of Excellence in Clinical Trials and Translational Research.

Created upon the BOR’s approval during its 1122nd Meeting in 30 July 1998, the National Telehealth Center was created as the eHealth (now “digital health”) research and development center of the NIH. The NTHC continues to push forward the digital health agenda in the Philippines through research on standards and interoperability; design, development, and deployment of health information systems to improve clinical care delivery; and policy development and advocacy. Its vision is to be the recognized authority in transformative digital health research and development in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Its mission is to be a centre of excellence in digital health research through innovative, interdisciplinary, and translational methods towards more efficient health care systems.

The Center’s mandate is to develop, design, and implement health information systems in the Philippines, as well as conduct monitoring and evaluation projects of digital health solutions for improving health care. It prioritizes digital health research in the areas of electronic medical/health records (EMRs/EHRs), public health surveillance, and telemedicine. The Center equips healthcare professionals and IT personnel on digital health and telemedicine tools in order to deliver more efficient health care services.

Created in February 2018, the NTCBB is the newest Center formally established under the NIH and approved by the UP Board of Regents. The NTCBB is the pioneer training center in the field of biosafety and biosecurity in the Philippines. It is mandated to promote and develop biorisk management principles in various institutions to maintain safety in all the laboratories and other institutions that handle biological hazards across the country.

The Center envisions itself to be the source of relevant information and expertise related to the practice of biosafety and biosecurity in the Philippines, to provide the capacity for training for biosafety and biosecurity practitioners in the Philippines, and to be the focal training center in the country that will link with counterpart organization globally. In order to uphold its mandate, the NTCBB has flagship programs aimed to promote and educate stakeholders with the principles of biosafety and biosecurity; among these programs are the Advanced Biorisk Officers Training and Online Biosafety Training.

The NHSRC is the main partner of the Department of Health (DOH) in implementing Republic Act No. 9709 or the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Act which was signed into law on 12 August 2009. The NHSRC aims to develop standards for certification for newborn hearing screening centers; define hearing screening protocols; maintain external laboratory proficiency program; oversee the national testing database and cases registries; assist in training activities in all aspects of the program; oversee the development of all promotional and educational materials; report the Department of Health any non-compliance committed by newborn hearing screening centers of health facility in the country.

The UP Board of Regents formally approved the creation of the NHSRC on 24 February 2012. Since then, the vision of the Center is for every newborn to be given access to physiologic hearing screening examination prior to hospital discharge for the detection of hearing loss and to receive intervention in the earliest feasible time.

Republic Act 9288 or the Newborn Screening Act of 2004 mandated the NIH to serve as the technical partner of the Department of Health (DOH) in ensuring the quality of service and sustainability of the National Comprehensive Newborn Screening System (NCNBSS). NIH performs this function through the NSRC. The establishment of NSRC, under the BOR’s approval in its 1188th meeting on October 28, 2004, marked a major initiative in addressing the needs of NCNBSS.

In its 16 years of operations, NSRC has provided technical assistance to the DOH in reaching its goal of screening Filipino newborns for common life-threatening heritable disorders. It has collaborated with the DOH in the setting-up of the necessary NBS system infrastructures – from the selection and accreditation of Newborn Screening Centers (NSCs), recruitment of health facilities to become participating Newborn Screening (NBS) facilities, selection of G6PD confirmatory centers, confirmatory reference laboratories for hemoglobinopathies and for metabolic disorders; to the establishment of NBS Continuity Clinics that would handle the long-term follow-up management of confirmed patients.

The Philippine Eye Research Institute was established by virtue of Republic Act No. 4593 on 19 June 1965 and is the oldest unit under the National Institutes of Health. Formerly known as the Institute of Ophthalmology, it is the center for advancement of ophthalmology in the country. It remains to be the forefront and main steward in conducting blindness prevention programs for the country through basic, clinical, and epidemiological research. The Institute conducts, collaborates, and supports researches directed towards the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of eye diseases, specifically those prevalent in the Philippines.

PERI research staff have contributed a significant number of scientific publications and published several books and monographs on eye diseases. PERI has also formed linkages with other government and non-government agencies such as DOH, DepEd, PCHRD, and WHO.

One of its major thrusts is the National Vision Screening Program (NVSP). The NVSP is spearheaded by PERI, in partnership with the DOH and DepEd. Signed into law on 31 July 2019, the Program aims to screen all kindergarten pupils entering the Filipino school system to detect errors of refraction and amblyopia using a pre-tested Vision Screening Kit which was developed using evidence-based approaches. This simple pass-or-fail system will provide vision screeners, such as trained teachers, with the information, guidance, and recommendation to carry out the vision screening rapidly and with minimal errors.

The PNEI, previously known as the Ear Institute, was created as approved by the UP Board of Regents in 2001 to be at the forefront in undertaking epidemiological investigation related to disorders of hearing, balance, and their related functions. The Institute pursues researches dealing with the preventive, curative, and rehabilitative aspects of diseases and/or disabilities that may result from malfunctions of the ear and its related organs. It shall provide an environment for comprehensive and integrated studies on hearing, balance, and communicative disorders relevant to Philippine conditions in support of the research and development mission of UP through the NIH.

The passage and signing into law of Republic Act No. 9245 in 2004 formally established the Philippine National Ear Institute within the UP system. It also serves as a teaching laboratory for the students of the UP College of Medicine, residents of the PGH Department of Otorhinolaryngology and students of the Master of Clinical Audiology program of UP Manila. To fulfill its mission, the PNEI has formed partnerships with government and non-government institutions to diagnose, prevent, improve, and treat hearing disorders. PNEI also cooperates with the hearing loss evaluation and management component of the PhilHealth Z package for Children with Disabilities with its hub located in the PGH.