This revised application for continued support of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University is submitted in response to RFA-HD-14-012. The IDDRC will continue supporting a large, diverse, and multidisciplinary program of research focused on developmental disorders with an emphasis on translational research, serving as the nexus for research focused on developmental disabilities within one of the premiere educational, clinical, and biomedical research institutions in the world. The IDDRC will include six Cores. An Administrative Core (A) will provide leadership, management, and organizational support for the Center;coordinate educational program components (lectures and seminars);represent the Center in interactions with Institute and University administration;and serve as the interface wit colleagues at NICHD, other IDDRCs, and the broader community. A Clinical Translational Core (B) will support Center investigators in activities related to participant recruitment, IRB-related activities, biostatistics, and moving findings along the entire translational pathway. A Genetics Core (C) will provide centralized tissue culture and assistance with cytogenetics, specialized molecular genetics, microarray and sequencing studies, and bioinformatics. A Translational Neuroscience Core (D) will provide histology and preclinical imaging facilities, as well as a group of highly specialized assays that target metabolites and molecules of relevance to developmental disorders. A Neuroimaging Core (E) will provide Investigators with assistance in acquisition and quantitative analysis of data derived from functional, volumetric, diffusion tensor and spectroscopic MR imaging, as well as for studies employing TMS methods. Finally, a Behavior Science Core (F) will offer training of participants for cooperation with research protocols, selection of methods for neuropsychological/cognitive assessment, design of activation paradigms for fMRI, and specialized methods for assessment of motor functioning. Core support this coming year will be provided to 69 projects representing annual federal funding of over $34 million, plus a Research Component funded directly by the Center.
Over 13% of school-age children may have a developmental disability (DD), many facing substantial lifelong impairments. Causes can be unclear and factors contributing to risk of primary and secondary concerns are only partially understood. The proposed Center will contribute to expanded understanding of the causes of developmental disorders as well as improvements in treatment and prevention.
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