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Civitan
International Research Center
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About
the UAB IDDRC
Welcome
to the UAB Intellectual and Disabilities Research Center
(IDDRC) web site. Formerly known
as the UAB Mental Retardation Research
Center, we are part of a national network
of 21 IDDRCs with AUCD membership
which includes
14 Centers
with
current P30 core grant funding from the
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute
for Child Health and Human Development
(NICHD) and 7 Centers that use alternative
funding mechanisms within the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) to support projects
relevant to intellectual disabilities.
Eight P30 NICHD funded research centers
are co-located in universities with UCEDDs or LENDs.
Our IDDRC includes a cadre of
investigators who represent
a
broad
range
of disciplines
and
approaches
committed to expanding the understanding of mental
retardation and neuro-developmental disabilities (MRDD). These
investigators
embrace our mission and dedication to the larger enterprise
of ameliorating the profound effects of MRDD. Our investigators
are dedicated to elucidation of new knowledge regarding
human development in health and disease; the use of appropriate
model systems to uncover the principles of this development;
the dissemination of these advances to others including
individuals
with MRDD and their families, political leaders, scientists,
health care providers, educators, and advocacy organizations
with an interest in MRDD; and the translation of fundamental
advances into clinical practice. The UAB IDDRC encourages
collaborative research between scientists across a broad range
of
disciplines and between clinical investigators and practitioners.
The
recently enhanced emphasis on translational research including,
the implementation of molecular genetics in early diagnosis,
utilization of functional imaging to explore brain dynamics,
expansion of clinical trials, use of molecular genetics
in early diagnosis, and expanded
clinical
research has significantly increased these opportunities
specifically for studies of sickle cell disease,
pediatric brain tumor therapies, pediatric
constraint therapy for cerebral palsy, neurofibromatosis,
environmental toxicology, neonatal hypoxia/ischemic events,
Alexander disease,
Rett
syndrome, teen parenting and child neglect, ADHD and
autism spectrum disorder.
The
IDDRC's administrative core facilities are located at the
UAB Civitan International Research Center, which
also serves as Alabama's University Center for
Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
(UCEDD) and
it's LEND programs
in coordination with the Civitan-Sparks
Clinics. Through
this website the UAB IDDRC provides information
and resources on MRDD to scientists, students at all levels,
and
the
general
public. We welcome any suggestions that
can make this site more useful to you.
Click
the images below for more
information:
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Images From Our Research

Image
from our research on Rett syndrome used on the cover of Learning & Memory
showing live eYFP-neurons transfected with an eYFP expression
vector provided by Core-C.
This procedure
was used to characterize the rapid effects of BDNF on dendritic
spine density.

Images
from research in Core-C.
Top: NeuN labeling of hippocampal slice culture. Bottom:
TRPC1 (green) and NeuN (red) labeling of CA1
region
(image enhanced for web display).

Click
image to go to national AUCD web site.
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