Constantine A. Stratakis, M.D., D.Sc, is the Scientific Director of the Division of Intramural Research (DIR) at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. As the NICHD’s Scientific Director, Dr. Stratakis oversees the research programs of 85 scientific investigators and more than 300 trainees. The NICHD DIR is made up of 11 research programs with approximately 79 units and sections. The objective of the DIR is to ensure the birth of healthy infants, to ensure the health of infants and children as they develop into adulthood, and to optimize the health of women. Research in the DIR focuses on acquiring information to enhance understanding of the full range of human development and reproduction.