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Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
PMB 40
230 Appleton Pl
Nashville, TN, 37203-5721
615-322-8240

The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development is a Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (EKS IDDRC), funded by the EKS National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (EKS NICHD). The NICHD-funded national IDDRC network advances the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and amelioration of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). VKC IDDRC investigators address autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, genetic syndromes, and acquired or general IDD. They use a broad range of methodologies including identifying basic mechanisms, treatment targets, and aberrant developmental processes in model systems; measuring cognitive, social, emotional, and neural phenotypes in IDD; and conducting treatment and intervention studies. Many IDDRC investigators study typical and atypical processes.

CORE(s)

Core values are the internal compass of fundamental principles that drive the work of IDDRCs.

URL: https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/iddrc/core_a/

Keywords Fiscal, Communication, Grants, Technology, Graphics, Research Events

Description

Provides scientific leadership and oversight of the IDDRC, its cores, and IDDRC research project. Manages fiscal and other resources. Coordinates IDDRC Training and Education. Coordinates communication activities to promote IDDRC cohesiveness and collaboration within IDDRC and IDDRC network. Disseminates research findings. With University support, the core also provides grant development services and services related to philanthropy.

 



Services

Center Administration and Governance
Center administration, core oversight, and governance

Fiscal and Resource Management
Overall IDDRC fiscal and resource management. Administration of complex IDD-related grants and contracts, including personnel and purchasing. Administration of Hobbs Discovery Grants and other philanthropy.

Space and Facilities
Physical maintenance, housekeeping, security, room reservation, parking. Allocation of VKC-administered space.

Graphics and Technical Services
IT services for specialized IDDRC-related needs. Graphics services for brochures, fliers, newsletters; journal figures; photography; illustrations; images and design for electronic and print media.

Training and Education
Training and Education activities, e.g., lecture series, workshops, conferences. Communication activities include websites, social media, print materials, and dissemination database. Administration of Travel Grants for Affiliates and IDDRC Collaborative Scholarships.

Communication and Dissemination                                                                     Communication activities include websites, social media, print materials, and disseminaiton database.

Implementation  Science Consultations                                                                  Consultation services to IDDRC investigators to develop plans for carrying out and evaluating implementation efforts.

 

 

 

 

 



URL: https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/iddrc/core_b/

Description

Core B is a bridge between basic and clinical scientists who aim to advance the translational impact of their research on neurodevelopmental disabilities. The core provides essential recruitment and phenotyping services, with more intensive support for basic scientists who may be less familiar with conducting human studies. The core also develops innovative resources to advance translational IDD science.



Services

Recruitment Services
Provides expertise on communicating recruitment needs to families and different disability communities in ways that optimize success via print materials, web, media, social media, and clinics and programs at the institutional, community, state, and national levels. Includes Studies-in-Schools consultation, IDD Sub-Registry of ResearchMatch, and StudyFinder.

Research Registries, Epidemiological Database Services, and Database Mining
Provides access to the Autism Research Registry, Down Syndrome Research Registry, and State of Tennessee epidemiological databases to facilitate translational research on specific neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Study Support and Consultations                                                                                                 Provides hands-on suppor to IDDRC Investigators to enable the execution of studies that meet their enrollment targets, while training these teams to design, recruit, consent participants, and implement future studies on their own that will serve as models for other teams.



URL: https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/iddrc/core_c/

Description

The Translational Neuroimaging Core assists investigators in characterizing brain structure and function in study participants. The Core enables researchers to examine behavioral and neurological aspects of such complex disorders as autism, learning and communication disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities syndromes. Core objectives are to assist investigators in:

  • design of experiments, including selecting appropriate functional MRI tasks and other modalities of MR imaging or EEG/ERP/eye tracking acquisition parameters
  • implementation of MR imaging and psychophysiological data collections with special populations (individuals with various developmental disabilities, especially children and infants), and
  • management and analysis of MR and EEG/ERP/eye tracking data.

 



Services

Magnetic Resonance (MR) Neuroimaging
Includes but is not limited to functional MRI, diffusion imaging (DI), structural (volumetric) analyses (sMRI), and implementation of less rountinely used imaging modalities in IDDs (e.g., Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; MRS with expansion planned to Magentization-Transfer (MT). Animal (IDD mouse models):  sMRI and DI, expansion to MRS planned.

Neurophysiology Measures
Includes but is not limited to electroencephalogram (EEG), event-related potentials (ERP), and eye tracking. Animal (IDD mouse models): 2- channel EEG/ERP, with expansion to 30 channel underway



URL: https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/iddrc/core_d/

Description

Objectives are to provide investigators with core facilities and services to support biomedical research; to facilitate interdisciplinary neuroscience collaborations; and to provide access to emerging technologies.



Services

Mouse Behavioral Phenotyping
Provides VKC investigators with access to and training in modern behavioral phenotyping methods through the Vanderbilt Murine Neurobehavioral Laboratory.

Neurochemistry
Services include various analytical assays, including HPLC/MS methods for measurement of neurotransmitters, biogenic amines, amino acids, and other neurochemicals. Furthermore, we provide consultations and training to our investigators

Molecular Neurobiology and Genomics
Provides equipment, methodology consultation, and reagents that assist in the introduction of transgenes for transient transfection, and in the localization of transgene and endogenous gene products.

Scientific Instrumentation
Design and construction of specialized scientific research equipment.



URL: https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/iddrc/core_e/

Description

Provides statistical consultation in experimental design, efficient data collection and storage, statistical analysis, and interpretation of findings. Develops bioinformatics platforms for automation of data processing from multiple sources and implementation of less used or novel data analysis approaches in IDD research. Develops EMR and genomic databases in a range of IDD conditions, with related training and support.



Services

Biostatistics Consultation and Education
Consulting with researchers to help solve statistical and methodological problems, from design to final analysis, with specific expertise in bio-, behavioral, genetic, and neuroimaging statistics. Collaborating with investigators to develop novel statistical approaches. Organizes training series.

Platform Development, Complex Modeling
Assists investigators in developing platforms that are complex, semi-automated, combine many types of data, and allow for rich queries.

IDD Database Development Leveraging BioVU/Synthetic Derivative
Provides bioinformatics and data mining assistance to investigators to address gaps in phenotypic and genotypic understanding of IDD conditions.



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