# District of Columbia Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center

> **NIH NIH U54** · CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2020 · $1,150,630

## Abstract

Funded since 2001, the mission of the DC-IDDRC is to expand our understanding of the causes underlying
intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), 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 Health System (lead), George Washington
University, Howard University, and Georgetown University). In this proposal, our specific aims are: 1) To
identify the causes and develop new clinical approaches for the prevention or amelioration of IDD; 2) To
provide accessible, state-of-the-art and 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 one of the five IDDR themes (Developing
Biomarkers of Premature Brain Injury). The Director of the DC-IDDRC, Vittorio Gallo, PhD, is an internationally
renowned neuroscientist who will continue to 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, providing assistance at each stage of the clinical and translational research spectrum and
optimizing the efficient, high quality implementation of fundamental research. The Genomics and Proteomics
Core (GPC) provides advanced genomics and proteomics technologies, as well as specialized statistical
analyses for DNA, mRNA and proteomics studies. The Cell and Tissue Microscopy Core (CTMC) supports
investigators with a broad array of advanced cellular and 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 and ex vivo whole brain imaging, image processing, and image analysis for both human and animal
studies. The Neurobehavioral Evaluation Core (NEC) provides sophisticated neurobehavioral and
neuropsychological research support to define developmental and behavioral phenotypes in humans and
animals. Our hypothesis-driven project is entitled “The vulnerable preterm cerebellum: Elucidating mechanisms
and consequences of injury”. It utilizes the HAIC, NEC and CTC functions. Through these components, the
DC-IDDRC will enhance the recruitment of investigators, generate innovation, and promote transdisciplinary
research that together will facili...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9998678
- **Project number:** 5U54HD090257-05
- **Recipient organization:** CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Vittorio Gallo
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,150,630
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-22 → 2021-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9998678

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9998678, District of Columbia Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (5U54HD090257-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9998678. Licensed CC0.

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