UNC Developmental Disabilities Research Center

The University of North Carolina Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (DDRC) is an interdisciplinary program with a mission to support and promote research relevant to understanding the pathogenesis and treatment/prevention of neurodevelopmental disorders. The UNC DDRC is the focal point for research and research training relevant to mental retardation and developmental disabilities on the UNC campus. This Center currently supports 63 investigators from 21 University departments, and includes 135 externally-funded research projects (102 PHS) covering all 31 content areas listed in the RFA for MRDD Research Centers. This broad-based research program is well integrated around a portfolio of bio-behavioral research projects on neurodevelopmental disorders highlighted by the funding of several NIH-funded, interdisciplinary research centers on autism (ACE Network; STAART Center), fragile X syndrome (NICHD Centers Program) and schizophrenia (Conte Center). Bio-behavioral studies serve to integrate outstanding research programs in basic biological and behavioral research relevant to MRDD. Thirty-nine Center investigators are actively involved in 73 funded projects studying 16 neurodevelopmental syndromes. The success of this DDRC, over the last eight years, has resulted in the recent establishment of a new $20 million institute at UNC for research, education, and treatment of developmental disabilities, the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. This application seeks support for an Administrative Core and four research cores - the Data Management and Statistical Analysis Core, the Subject Registry Core, the Behavioral Measurement Core; and the Developmental Neuroimaging Core. These four research cores provide cutting-edge, high-quality, and cost effective support for this integrated, multidisciplinary program of MRDD research. Support for this Center has had a major impact on developmental disabilities research and research training at the University of North Carolina. Continued support of this P30 research center is an essential element of the plans for the new Carolina Institute at UNC.