A number of funding opportunities, sponsored or co-sponsored by the NICHD, are currently available for research related to women's health topics. Please visit http://www.nichd.nih.gov/funding/foa/ to see the list of all active funding opportunity announcements, including those related to women’s health. The Institute also supports health care providers and researchers via other mechanisms, including (but not limited to): For more information about NICHD funding, contact the NICHD Office of Program and Public Liaison, at either 301-496-0536, or 301-435-3447, or the NICHD Office of Extramural Policy at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/od/oep/index.cfm. Research Supported and Ongoing Projects The NICHD is currently funding and conducting a number of research projects related to women's health topics, through its many Branches, Divisions, and Centers. The NIH recently debuted its new RePORTER tool, which provides comprehensive and searchable information on NIH-funded projects and contracts, including projects funded by the NICHD. The new tool replaces the Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP) and retains all of the features of CRISP, but also provides additional query fields, hit lists that can be sorted and downloaded, NIH funding for each project (expenditures), and the publications and patents that have acknowledged support from each project (results). RePORTER also provides links to PubMed Central, PubMed, and the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Patent Full Text and Image Database for more information on research results. Data are available from 1985 through ARRA and are searchable according to user interest. Check out Have You Tried RePORTER? New Tool Provides Insight into NIH Research Funding and Results for details about RePORTER, or access the new tool through the NIH RePORT Web site. NICHD Components that Conduct and Support Women's Health Research The NICHD has a broad mission to conduct research on various aspects of women's health. Because this mission encompasses so many topics, the research itself is conducted and supported by a number of NICHD components. These components, and a brief description of their efforts are included below. Extramural Research
Refers to research and projects that may take place or be located at other institutions, universities, or organizations, but are funded by the NICHD. The Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine (CDBPM) is a major source of research and research training in maternal, fetal, and infant health, and in disorders of human development. The following Branches within the CDBPM support women's health research: - The Developmental Biology and Teratology Branch investigates process of developmental biology, including birth defects' detection and prevention, embryonic development, reproductive immunology, and other topics.
- The Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch supports research on the biomedical, behavioral, and bio-behavioral aspects of healthy pregnancies and healthy births as they relate to intellectual and developmental disabilities; its portfolio includes chromosomal disorders, prenatal nutrition and malnutrition, maternal PKU, Rett syndrome, autism, and other subjects.
- The Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch supports basic and clinical research that strives to improve the outcome of pregnancy, reduce infant mortality, and minimize maternal and infant morbidity.
The Center for Population Research (CPR) is the federal government's focal point for population research. The following branches within the CPR support research on women's health topics:
- The Contraception and Reproductive Health Branch develops and supports research and research training programs in contraception research, development, and evaluation, reproductive epidemiology, prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and selected reproductive and gynecological health issues. The Brach also provides overall coordination for the Institute's research on microbicides which prevent fertilization and the transmission of HIV/AIDS/STDs.
- The Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch fosters research on the processes that determine population size, growth, composition, and distribution, and on the determinants and consequences of those processes, which includes fertility and family planning, HIV/AIDS and STI prevention (including trends in microbicide use), family and household demography, mortality and health, and other topics.
- The Reproductive Sciences Branch encourages and supports scientific research aimed at alleviating human infertility and reproductive disorders, developing and evaluating contraception, understanding the reproductive processes relevant to the transmission of HIV/AIDS/STDs, and expanding fundamental knowledge of the processes that underlie the success or failure of human reproduction.
The Center for Research for Mothers and Children (CRMC) is the principal NIH center supporting research on maternal health and child development. Within the CRMC, the following branches support research in women's health:
- The Endocrinology, Nutrition, and Growth Branch supports research on the endocrinological and nutritional influences on growth, body composition and bone health, puberty, and brain development, including efforts in maternal-fetal nutrition, infant nutrition, diabetes, osteoporosis, young women's health, pubertal onset, and other topics.
- The Pediatric, Adolescent, and Maternal AIDS Branch supports and conducts epidemiological, biomedical, and bio-behavioral research in the areas of HIV infection and disease in mothers, women of reproductive age, infants, and families.
- The Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacology Branch promotes research to improve the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals and to ensure centralization and coordination of research, clinical trials, and drug development activities for obstetric and populations.
The National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) fosters development of scientific knowledge needed to enhance the health, productivity, and quality of life of people with physical disabilities resulting from injury, disease, and aging. Within this overall context, the NCMRR research portfolio includes projects on women's health and the unique health needs of women with disabilities.
Intramural Research
Refers to research conducted by investigators who are employed by the NICHD.
The Division of Intramural Research (DIR) includes the majority of research conducted by the NICHD (as opposed to funded by the NICHD). Overall, DIR projects address biological, neurobiological, medical, and behavioral aspects of normal and abnormal human development. The Division supports five clinical research and training programs that explore comparative ethology; developmental, pediatric, and reproductive endocrinology; genetic and developmental disorders; and perinatal topics. The Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research (DESPR) provides the NICHD with expert skills in biostatistics, epidemiology, computer sciences, and prevention research. DESPR conducts research on human fecundity and fertility, pregnancy complications, preterm birth and infant growth, birth defects, and numerous other topics. The various Branches, Centers, and Divisions within the NICHD also publish a number of Reports and Proceedings related to women's health topics. These publications contain information best suited for those with a medical or scientific background. Scientific Conferences, Meetings, and Events The NICHD often sponsors and/or organizes scientific conferences, meetings, and events for researchers, clinicians, and other professionals and practitioners. Upcoming events, including those related to women's health topics and research, are listed at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/meetings/. You can also access information on past meetings through that page. |
