Message from the Scientific Director
I am pleased to announce that the 2023 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 outlines our research endeavors and highlights our medical and scientific discoveries of the past year.
NICHD’s intramural community comprises a broad array of basic, translational, and clinical researchers. We use a range of model systems to further knowledge of developmental, 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 multiple core services, from bioinformatics and imaging, to molecular genomics. Each investigator participates in one or more team-based and future-oriented affinity groups, which build on thematic interests while staying responsive 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 fully searchable to assist potential postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, clinical fellows, and others in navigating to 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. 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.
The drive and purpose of 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. Share your ideas and proposals for collaborative initiatives with me at mcbainc@mail.nih.gov.
Sincerely yours,
Chris J. McBain, PhD
Scientific Director, NICHD, NIH
