The Office of the Scientific Director (OSD) launched a multi-year initiative in FY12 to consolidate the highly dispersed research programs of the Division of Intramural Research (DIR), NICHD. Over 70 distinct laboratories and research cores in the DIR were distributed across seven buildings, which proved to be a barrier to creating the kind of interdisciplinary and team-based research environment, both in basic and clinical research groups, that is needed in a contemporary biomedical research setting. Through the recommendations of a Blue Ribbon Panel, commissioned by the NIH and NICHD leadership, which reported to the DIR in summer 2013, the DIR was supported in its efforts to consolidate space. As a result, and through careful planning with the Office of Research Facilities (ORF), NIH leadership, and administrative and scientific staff of the DIR, a plan was developed and funds were set aside to move, in succession, to a smaller number of building clusters. Completion of all moves is projected for FY17. Laboratories with common intellectual and scientific interests were reorganized and will be co-located in six building clusters on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland Space and facilities planning leaders have consulted with investigators to optimize research space and achieve renovations necessary to modernize our research laboratories. The co-location of research cores and the opportunity to share resources and costly equipment were critical factors, including sharing with other NIH institutes, which is in accordance with outcomes of NIH long-term planning for the Intramural Research Program. Among the other stimuli for the consolidation of space and relocation of investigators are the planned demolition of two aging facilities that are slated for demolition by ORF, buildings 18/32 and 9. These buildings have been slated for demolition for several years. All of these circumstances have combined with the new strategic plan and organizational restructuring achieved since summer 2013, and approved to go into effect in on October 1, 2015. New laboratory clusters will be led by an Associate Scientific Director (ASD) for each functional area of scientific expertise, who will oversee space and facility needs and resource management for their group of integrated laboratories and investigative staff. The initial space moves began in FY12 with the new Porter Neurosciences Complex, phase II, where a core group of cell and structural biology and neurosciences labs, along with imaging cores, will be housed. Designs also began in FY12 for some of the labs in the Program in Physical Biology for pending moves to Bldg. 10. In FY13, design began for the Cell Biology and Metabolism Program, Molecular Medicine Program, and some of the labs in the Program in Developmental Neuroscience. In FY14, construction began for the programs designed the previous year. In FY15, moves have begun for the previous programs while design for some of the labs in the Program in Cellular Regulation and Metabolism and Program in Physical Biology. FY16 and FY17 will be the final construction and moves for these labs as well as the labs within the Program in Developmental Endocrinology. Complementing the physical proximity of laboratories will be affinity groups (AG) of scientists with shared research interests. The facilities will allow for AGs to promote scientific exchange, collaborations, and the formation of new multidisciplinary teams to address new research ideas in a fluid and dynamic manner.
