Founded 50 years ago, the Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center has long been at the forefront of research on abnormal brain development in children. A key objective of the Rose F. Kennedy IDDRC leadership has been to enhance research collaborations between basic science investigators and our clinical partners in the hope of advancing understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders and enhancing translational studies designed to bring bench research discoveries to the bedside, in the form of new and innovative therapies.
Recent changes, in particular the Einstein-Montefiore merger, have been positive for the Center’s future as it enters its second half century. For example, our closest clinical partner – the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) – is now revitalized under new leadership with its clinics fully consolidated in the Van Etten building, adjacent to Kennedy. This move has made available additional space in the Kennedy building, facilitating a planned expansion of the Neuroscience program through new recruitments.
Further, continued integration with our Montefiore clinical partner, the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM), has set the stage for ever-expanding translational studies, linking basic science expertise at Einstein with specific neurodevelopmental disorders seen at the CHAM clinics. These clinics include those focused on Rett and Williams syndromes, Niemann-Pick, Tuberous Sclerosis, infantile/childhood seizures, and most recently 22q11.2DS, among others.
An integral part of Einstein’s RFK IDDRC’s outreach is our newsletter, which is published bi-annually and distributed both electronically and on paper. read our newsletters >
It often features notable ID related discoveries, interesting projects, opinion pieces, interviews and even human interest stories by doctors and researchers around campus. learn more >
Einstein’s RFK IDDRC is composed of five Cores: an Administrative Core (ADM), the Human Clinical Phenotyping Core (HCP), the Neurogenomics Core (NGEN), the Neural Cell Engineering & Imaging Core (NCEI), and the Animal Phenotyping Core (AP). learn more >
The RFK IDDRC, through the ADM Core, brings nationally and internationally recognized speakers to Einstein Montefiore across a variety of venues. These include a seminar series, the annual Isabelle Rapin Conference, and Rare Disease Day. learn more >