The IDDRC at UCSF aims to support studies that will result in innovative basic and clinical research to advance the understanding and treatment in IDD. The Center brings together a broad and inter-disciplinary coalition of expertise, integrating together clinician scientists, health services researchers, neuroscientists, geneticists, biostatisticians, and advocates.
Embodying a broad translational research focus, the themes of this Center are oriented around real world objectives supported by effective clinical service models. As families are faced with a fragmented service delivery system and extraordinary challenges in accessing timely services, it is important that evidence-based treatments be prioritized and tested for effectiveness in everyday situations. Therapeutic success in the community may hinge upon a variety of factors that do not translate from efficacy studies, and the most significant clinical problems should be prioritized for effectiveness research.
As a key component in our Center's translational focus, we will lay the foundation for studying and advancing real world effectiveness with the following: one, core services that will support and advance our understanding of outcome predictors to improve trials, two, biomarkers to enhance specificity, three, targeted drug discovery and delivery, and four, coordination, communication, education, and dissemination to improve care and identify treatment needs.