District of Columbia Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (DC-IDDRC)

The mission of the DC-IDDRC is to expand our understanding of the causes underlying intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), develop innovative therapies, and prevent or attenuate the full effects of these disorders, so that each child can achieve her/his full physical and intellectual potential. To realize this mission, we provide a rich environment for performing fully translational IDDR in the four collaborating DC academic medical centers (Children’s National Hospital (lead), George Washington University, Howard University, and Georgetown University). Our specific aims are: 1) To identify the causes and develop new clinical approaches for the prevention or amelioration of IDDs; 2) To provide accessible, state-of-the-art,cost- effective core facilities for cohesive, multidisciplinary research and education/training in IDDR; 3) To create an intellectual home for investigators engaged in IDDR; and 4) To implement an innovative Research Project that addresses two IDDR themes (Interventions and Management of Co-morbid Mental Health Conditions; Outcome Measures or Biomarkers for Interventions or Treatments). The DC-IDDRC Director, Vittorio Gallo, PhD, is an internationally renowned neuroscientist who will direct the Administrative Core that functions as the organizing nexus of the DC-IDDRC, providing management, administration, communication and training, assuring compliance and quality assurance, directing strategic planning and recruitment, and promoting the growth of the DC-IDDRC. The scientific cores provide an integrated platform and synergy for investigation, as required by truly translational IDDR. The Clinical Translational Core (CTC) is designed to serve as a “one- stop-shop” for IDDR investigators, assisting at each stage of the clinical and translational research spectrum and optimizing the efficient, high quality implementation of fundamental research. The Genomics and Bioinformatics Core (GBC) provides advanced genomics technologies and specialized statistical analyses for DNA and mRNA studies. The Cell and Tissue Microscopy Core (CTMC) supports investigators with a broad array of advanced cellular/molecular imaging tools for state-of-the-art neuroscience studies. The Human and Animal Imaging Core (HAIC) provides scientific and technical support for in vivo/ex vivo whole brain imaging, image processing, and image analysis for human and animal studies. The Neurobehavioral Evaluation Core (NEC) provides sophisticated neurobehavioral research support to define developmental and behavioral phenotypes in humans and animals. Our project “Intervention-induced plasticity of flexibility and learning mechanisms in ASD” utilizes the CTC, HAIC and NEC. Through these components, the DC- IDDRC will enhance the recruitment and training of investigators, generate innovation, and promote transdisciplinary research to facilitate the development, implementation, and dissemination of new diagnostic and therapeutic advances for the care of individuals with IDDs.