NICHD Office of the Clinical Director

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The NICHD Office of the Clinical Director's (OCD) current clinical research portfolio includes clinical trials, natural history studies of rare diseases, and drug and device development. The clinical research program currently includes 71 protocols, conducted by 30 NICHD Principal Investigators and 210 associate investigators. Approximately half of the protocols include pediatric patients, of which many focus on rare diseases. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the protocols involve investigational drugs or devices. Current research areas include developmental disorders, healthy human development, developmental endocrinology, neurosciences, genetics, translational imaging, pediatric and reproductive endocrinology, infertility, fertility preservation, and population health. These clinical research activities are governed under the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) with patient participation in the NIH Clinical Center (CC). Delivery of quality and safe patient care in the NIH Clinical Center is vital in the context of NICHDs clinical research programs and services. Partnerships and collaboration efforts both inter- and intra- NIH institutes and externally through research agreements with leading academic institutions nationally, and partnerships with industry through technology transfer or cooperative research and development agreements foster advancement of science and cutting-edge scientific research. Emphasis of nurturing a clinical research environment which encourages creativity and expanding fundamental scientific knowledge of summer interns, post-baccalaureate research trainees, as well as post-doctoral and clinical fellows in various basic science and clinical disciplines. The various components of the Office of the Clinical Director are to achieve the mission of NICHD: NICHD leads research and training to understand human development, improve reproductive health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all.