University of Rochester Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center

Project Summary: The University of Rochester’s Golisano IDDRC fosters innovative and collaborative research efforts among multidisciplinary investigators. The center's primary goals include advancing basic and translational science to understand the causes and consequences of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), sustaining essential research infrastructure, building interactive research teams, attracting and training new investigators, fostering communication and collaboration, and promoting community outreach and education. The Golisano IDDRC operates through four scientific cores: Human Phenotyping and Recruitment (HPR), Translational Neuroimaging & Neurophysiology (TNN), Cell and Molecular Imaging (CMI), and Animal Behavior and Neurophysiology (ABN). The center also focuses on specific research clusters, including rare neurodevelopmental diseases, parental stress and early life exposure, neuroinflammatory mechanisms, autism spectrum disorder, and multisensory integration. The center's efforts are supported by an annual fund for IDD pilot projects and a commitment to evaluating progress and maximizing impact. Our objective is to leverage institutional resources and areas of expertise to optimize the efficiency, innovation, and quality of research to improve the lives of patients and families with IDD.