NICHD News Releases

Research Funding News: New policy on NIH grant awards, new NICHD funding strategies
A new policy has been posted on the NIH Web site regarding NIH Fiscal Operations for the remainder of FY 2013 in light of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6), signed by President Obama on March 26, 2013, and the sequestration provisions of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act.

Flu in pregnancy may quadruple child’s risk for bipolar disorder
Pregnant mothers’ exposure to the flu was associated with a nearly fourfold increased risk that their child would develop bipolar disorder in adulthood, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings add to mounting evidence of possible shared underlying causes and illness processes with schizophrenia, which some studies have also linked to prenatal exposure to influenza.

Drug safety for children and pregnant women topic of March NICHD Director’s Podcast
Once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves a drug, physicians can use their best judgment to prescribe it to their patients—whether or not their patients are similar to those who took part in the clinical trials. Physicians can also prescribe drugs for diseases or conditions other than those for which they were originally tested.

Birth Defects Prevention Month and NICHD Research Advances
Understanding the causes of birth defects has been a primary goal of the NICHD since its establishment. During Birth Defects Prevention Month, the NICHD reflects on its research in structural birth defects as well as the significant advancements made to date in determining the causes, prevention, and treatments of birth defects.

Scientific Vision: The Next Decade
The NICHD embarked upon a collaborative process in 2011 to create a scientific Vision, identifying the most promising scientific opportunities for the Institute and its partners to pursue over the next decade. The newly published Scientific Vision statement presents the results of that process and outlines scientific goals for the coming decade.

NICHD reorganizes extramural program
​Alan Guttmacher, M.D., Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) announced a number of changes to streamline the institute’s organizational structure and accelerate the exchange of scientific ideas.

Research for a Lifetime: Commemorating the NICHD’s 50th Anniversary
On October 17, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the legislation establishing the NICHD to examine “the complex process of human development from conception to old age.” The Institute marks its golden anniversary with Research for a Lifetime, an all-day scientific colloquium to highlight the Institute’s mission, accomplishments, and future research directions.

Understanding Typical & Atypical Development: Research at the Heart of the NICHD Mission
​Birth abnormalities, broadly defined to include structural, functional, and metabolic problems that are present at birth, are a major cause of death and disease. The NICHD's Developmental Biology, Genetics, and Teratology (DBGT) Branch supports efforts to increase our understanding of the biological processes and mechanisms controlling both typical and atypical development. Many of these research efforts are made possible through collaborations among scientists with diverse research backgrounds. This spotlight highlights the Branch's work through an example of one such collaboration.

New Video Highlights NIH Investment in Zebrafish Research
​As they strive to develop new treatments for birth defects, or to prevent them, scientists at the National Institutes of Health have found a big ally in a small fish. An NIH video shows how the zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a valuable resource for scientists trying to understand the intricate process by which a fertilized egg develops into a fully formed individual, and the numerous diseases and conditions that can result when even a tiny part of the process goes wrong.

Alcohol & Drug-Related Birth Defects Research at the NICHD
Birth defects are structural or functional abnormalities present at birth that can cause physical, intellectual, or emotional problems. Birth defects caused by alcohol or drug use during pregnancy are an important focus of the NICHD’s research agenda. This Spotlight describes some of the Institute’s current research on birth defects caused by these types of prenatal exposures.

NIH Grantee Honored for Pioneering Research on Gene Networks
A long-term grantee of the National Institutes of Health has been awarded the International Prize for Biology from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

NICHD Highlights Neuroscience Research
​​Neuroscience research plays a critical role in advancing the NICHD mission of improving the health of children, adults, families, and populations across the lifespan. The NICHD Director showcased some innovative research findings from the Institute's neuroscience research portfolio at the 41st annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.

Neuroscience Research at the NICHD
​NICHD research includes a variety of efforts in the neurosciences, from developing systems to rehabilitation. Interested researchers can meet with NICHD program staff throughout the 38th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, November 15-19, 2008, in booths 3515 and 3517 in the exhibit hall.

NICHD Funded Researchers Discover Gene for Cornelia De Lange Syndrome
A team of researchers has discovered a gene for Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, a disorder consisting of mental retardation, heart defects and a number of physical abnormalities.