# Baylor College of Medicine Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center

> **NIH NIH P50** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $1,278,546

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM IDDRC) has been instrumental in advancing basic
science, translational, and clinical endeavors to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and
developmental disability (IDD). Beyond discoveries, the Center has mentored more than two generations of
scientists and physicians engaged in research and the care and treatment of individuals with IDD. The mission
of the BCM IDDRC is to identify as many causes of IDD as possible, to understand their pathogenesis, and to
develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. To realize this mission, accelerate the research
activities of our Investigators and advance development of therapeutics for IDD, we will carry out the following
aims: 1) Provide Core facilities and services to advance IDD research. Six cores are proposed to provide
innovative, high-quality and cost-effective research services to assist investigators in studies of molecules
(Molecular and Expression Analysis), cells and tissues (Cell and Tissue Pathogenesis), circuits (Circuit
Analysis and Modulation), and whole organisms (Preclinical and Clinical Outcomes). The Clinical
Translational Core will provide services specific for clinical research infrastructure and the Center
Administration Core will coordinate overall Center operations along with stakeholder engagement,
communication and education; 2) Promote and enhance collaborative efforts and dissemination activities
with a comprehensive engagement, communication, and education plan. The Admin Core will promote
interactions locally, nationally, and internationally, will implement best practices for community partnerships
and dissemination of research findings, and will enhance the training of next-generation IDD
researchers; 3) Conduct a multidisciplinary signature research project that leads to clinical trial
readiness. The emergence of DNA-based therapies, coupled with exciting discoveries and preclinical studies
from the BCM IDDRC, provides exciting opportunities to treat IDDs, but the fact that many IDD-causing genes
are dosage sensitive (too much or too little is detrimental) poses a serious challenge requiring robust biological
markers meaningful for the individual rather than the population. The Signature Project seeks to develop
multidimensional biomarkers (molecules and circuits) for target engagement, safety, and efficacy in six gene
dosage dependent IDDs. The Center will support 75 investigators and 72 research projects. For 30+ years the
BCM IDDRC has had a profound impact on IDD, elucidating causes, determining mechanisms, and developing
interventions. It has fostered an environment that welcomes and supports additional investigators and
emphasizes training. As we enter the next decade, Center investigators, their collaborators, and trainees are
poised to transform dozens of exciting discoveries into safe therapeutics t...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10085940
- **Project number:** 1P50HD103555-01
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** David Loren Nelson
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,278,546
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-22 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10085940

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10085940, Baylor College of Medicine Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (1P50HD103555-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10085940. Licensed CC0.

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