Director - Institute Research

Overview

The New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (I ) is recruiting for an Institute Director, an essential leadership position needed to continue the critical research of the institute and play a role in setting its course for the future. I  is the research arm of the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). OPWDD is responsible for coordinating services for New Yorkers with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), including intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), rare genetic syndromes, and other neurological impairments.

I  is unique in that it provides a research environment conducive to collaboration between basic research scientists and clinicians. I  is comprised of approximately 30 research laboratories and a unique, Article 16 Part 676 Diagnostic and Research Clinic which for over 50 years, has engaged in research and clinical work contributing to the field of Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD). I  researchers played significant roles in discovering the genetic and biochemical defects that lead to Phenylketonuria (PKU) and subsequent development of newborn screening protocols and dietary guidance.

The compound taurine, present in breast milk was discovered and patented at I  as our researchers discovered its essential role in brain development. Monoclonal antibodies which play a role in the diagnosis, treatment and study of neurological diseases and developmental disabilities have been developed and patented at I . I  was one of the leading laboratories to pinpoint the gene for amyloid precursor protein, linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD), to chromosome 21, helping to explain early occurrence of AD type lesions in older individuals with Down syndrome.

Currently, our laboratories are engaged in placental modulation studies related to prenatal inflammation/viral infection and maternal immune activation as a causal pathway of at least one subset of autism. Our Autism/Alzheimer's research group are co-authors on a novel AD vaccine which has been shown to inhibit tau and amyloid pathologies and prevent or reduce the development of cognitive impairment in a mouse model of AD at I .

Expansion into the area of rare genetic disorders including KBG syndrome, NAA 10‑15 and Ogden Syndrome is taking place in our Genomic Medicine lab where an R35 grant has been awarded. Through its access to our Brain bank, our AD/ASD Morphology Laboratory is making advances in the area of the serotonergic system and its role in disturbances in brain development, including ASD.

Moving forward, the Institute seeks to build upon research areas of strength including Fragile X Syndrome, Down syndrome and its relationship to Alzheimer's Disease, and Autism and to develop new research programs focusing on the role of genetic defects as an underlying cause of IDD. To accomplish this goal OPWDD plans to make a significant investment in the development of a new Genomics Core Facility to facilitate the proper evaluation and diagnosis for patients with a suspected IDD.

The institute director will drive the core facility's development and implementation, cultivating strategic partnerships and ensuring operational excellence. On-site Centralized Services include Microscopy Services with Confocal and Light Sheet Microscopy, a Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Editorial/Grant Writing Services/Statistical Analysis, and Mass Spectrometry along with the NYS I  Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disabilities, housed on site at I .

Under the general direction of the OPWDD Deputy Commissioner of Statewide Services, and in close collaboration with other facility executive staff, the Institute Director will be responsible for the management, administration and oversight of all clinical and research departments at I , including: establishing the facility’s long and short term research goals; developing and coordinating research programs; working with I  researchers to facilitate research grant submissions;

and ensuring that the research mission of I  successfully aligns with the overall…