What is the oklahoma medical research foundation? The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute.Who was the first director of the omrf? Dr. Edward C. Reifenstein Jr., became the Foundation’s first director. OMRF opened the doors of its first building on Dec. 17, 1950. Since that time, OMRF has grown from 5 principal scientists to 50, and its staff has grown from roughly two dozen employees to almost 500.What is the history of the medical research organization? Beginning from discussions among the alumni of the University of Oklahoma Medical School in 1944, several doctors began to develop the idea of an independent research organization adjacent to - but separate from - the medical school.