Program seeks Council approval for an initiative titled “Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs) 2019.” These Centers serve as a catalyst for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)-related research across the institute and within NIH.
The IDDRCs have evolved since their inception in the 1960s into a network of collaborative centers, creating shared resources and a project inventory as well as establishing standards for model organism testing and evaluation. There is a continued need for cutting-edge approaches to genomic and other ‘omic analyses, neuroimaging, model organism generation and manipulation, and complex cognitive and behavioral phenotyping to encourage clinical translational research that will lead to the generation of novel therapies and interventions for IDD conditions. In addition, the IDD field will benefit from efforts afforded by these training hubs to support the development of the next generation of trans-disciplinary IDD researchers.
The goal of this initiative is to continue the recent momentum of the program by supporting integrated and translational research centers to provide core equipment, research infrastructure, and personnel to support investigators whose goal is to understand the causes of and develop treatments for IDD. This new cycle of the centers program also will add a required element of dissemination and implementation to better communicate discoveries to other investigators, individuals affected by IDD conditions and their families, and the public at large.
This initiative aligns with the NICHD Vision statements related to behavior and cognition with regard to understanding the genetic and genomic underpinnings of many behavioral and cognitive traits, understanding the neurobiological bases and trajectories of cognitive disorders including autism, and development of effective and targeted interventions for these conditions.
This initiative aligns with the IDD Branch priorities to promote interdisciplinary studies on the etiologies of IDD, understand comorbid symptoms in IDD conditions, and support translational research for the development, dissemination and implementation of IDD treatments.
Program Contact
Melissa Parisi
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch
Back to Concept Review by Council
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