In the 1930s and 40s, physicists at American universities, including Isidor Rabi at Columbia and teams at Harvard and Stanford, discovered and refined Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) through government-supported research. Initially used by chemists to analyze molecular structures, the technology’s potential for medical applications remained unexplored for decades. The breakthrough came in the 1970s when Paul Lauterbur, working at the federally funded Stony Brook University, discovered how to generate spatial images from NMR signals. This transformative federally supported research converted a physics lab technique into Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), revolutionizing medical diagnostics without using radiation and earning Lauterbur the 2003 Nobel Prize in Medicine.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Today, MRI technology provides safe, radiation-free imaging that reveals details of soft tissues invisible to other technologies. With approximately 40 million MRI scans performed annually in the United States, the technology helps diagnose conditions from brain tumors and stroke damage to torn ligaments and cardiac problems. This federally funded basic science research has transformed into an essential medical tool that guides surgical planning, monitors disease progression, and evaluates treatment effectiveness, directly improving outcomes for millions of patients worldwide.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​