Message from the Scientific Director

January 2026

I am pleased to announce that the 2025 annual report of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Division of Intramural Research (DIR) is now available at https://annualreport.nichd.nih.gov. The report offers an introduction to the array of research endeavors led by NICHD’s DIR and highlights our medical, scientific, and population health discoveries of the past year. Among those advances:

• Dr. Veronica Gomez-Lobo’s program led an effort to develop a classification system of human ovarian follicle morphology. This classification system will help researchers analyze and compare results regarding folliculogenesis and ovarian aging.
• A collaboration between the labs of Dr. Timothy Petros and Dr. Pedro Rocha showed that small sequence variants in the CTCF, a crucial zinc finger protein, boundary of a chromatin domain can have surprisingly outsized effects and may be a potential source of gene dysregulation in development and disease.
• Dr. Fasil Tekola-Ayele found that maternal genetic distance (GD) from Amerindigenous and East Asian references and pre-pregnancy obesity influence placental weight and risk of large for gestational age (LGA). The results underline that consideration of maternal obesity in the context of GD from multiple ancestries and socioeconomic status may facilitate interventions that will minimize adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• A collaboration between the labs of Dr. Alex Sodt, Dr. Gigi Storz, and Dr. Doreen Matthies solved the structure of the ATPase magnesium transporter MgtA using cryo-electron microscopy. Their data provides structural insights into the mechanism and function of the MgtA family which, being highly conserved, has implications for other members of this large protein family.
• Dr. Carlos Ferreira published work describing new phenotypic features of osteoglophonic dysplasia (OGD), a rare skeletal disorder caused by variants in the FGFRI gene. This work further expands the clinical phenotype in an effort to aid earlier diagnosis, more accurate differentiation from other similar disorders, and the development of tailored management strategies.  
• Work in Dr. Peter Basser’s lab on microstructure imaging and analysis continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible to visualize in disease research, diagnostics, and patient care. Pervious work in their lab helped lay the groundwork for the Massachusetts General Hospital‘s Connectome 2, an ultra-high-resolution brain imaging system, launched in 2023, which is now providing insights into the inner workings of the living human brain.

NICHD’s intramural community comprises a broad array of basic, translational, clinical, and population health researchers. We use a range of model systems to further knowledge of developmental biology, molecular and cellular biology, neurosciences, structural biology, imaging, and biophysics. Investigators working with various animal models, including fruit flies, zebrafish, rats, and mice, are supported by a wide array of core services, from bioinformatics and imaging to molecular genomics. Our population health investigators undertake innovative etiologic and interventional studies from preconception through adulthood and translating discoveries into clinical practice and public policy. Each investigator participates in one or more team-based and future-oriented affinity groups, which build on thematic interests while responding to rapidly shifting scientific priorities and new knowledge.

The DIR researchers whose names appear in this publication remain committed to training the next generation of scientists and physician-scientists. They include tenure-track investigators who joined us recently, as well as accomplished investigators who continue to forge new scientific paths.

We invite you to review the report to learn about a colleague’s current pursuits, or to identify a laboratory with which you may wish to collaborate or refer a student. The report is also fully searchable to assist potential postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, clinical fellows, and others in navigating the information they need.

I also encourage you to browse the report’s selection of our clinical trials with an eye toward potential collaboration, made possible through the NIH U01 grant mechanism or the NIH Bench-to-Bedside and Back Program at the NIH Clinical Center. These programs could lead to our next great success, by helping us combine expertise and patient populations, while leveraging NIH infrastructure to address topics ranging from rare disorders to the most common problems affecting human health. You can visit https://ocr.od.nih.gov/new_u01/new_u01.html and https://ocreco.od.nih.gov/btb/btb_program.html to learn more about these programs.

We remain committed to fostering the availability and utilization of original data and biospecimens generated from our studies. Each laboratory has established a data management and sharing plan to this end. If you are interested in accessing data or learning more, I encourage you to reach out to the respective lab.

The drive and purpose of the DIR, on behalf of the American public and the international community, is to lead research and training to understand human development, improve reproductive health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all. You can share your ideas and proposals for collaborative initiatives with me at mcbainc@mail.nih.gov.

Sincerely yours,

Chris J. McBain, Ph.D.
Scientific Director, NICHD, NIH