The IDDRC@WUSTL relies on several advisory groups in order to ensure an effective system of management and efficient flow of resources across its scientific facilities while also positioning the Center at the forefront of translational science in IDD discovery that effectively leverages the resources of the WUSTL environment.
The Executive Committee comprises the faculty core and unit leadership of the IDDRC@WUSTL and continuously reviews all aspects of Core utilization and productivity, evolution of services and capacity over time, and strategizes innovations in core facilities and the scientific agenda of the Center. Brief presentations of significant discoveries and updated appraisal of opportunities for translational advances are structured components of these bi-monthly meetings.
The Committee of Senior Scientific Advisors is an internal advisory group comprised of 9 senior WUSTL investigators whose task is to provide input on scientific opportunity via periodic review of the research portfolio of the IDDRC and a focus on appraisal in relation to the latest advances in science and technology. This group represent expertise in areas of biomedical science that not only encompass the primary research themes of the Center, but also extend to other disciplines with direct bearing on translational advances in IDD, including rehabilitation medicine, cellular and molecular signaling, gut microbiome biology, neuro-oncology, and an array of genomic and neuroimaging technologies. In addition to a semi-annual meeting, this group also participates in ad hoc consultations that occur for review of grants developed by IDDRC faculty in the course of internal competitions for institutional awards or special initiatives that represent new scientific directions for IDDRC faculty.
The External Advisory Committee encompasses international-level expertise in developmental disabilities research along with community stakeholders and patient advocates. The EAC will advise the Center in regards to an annual review of: (1) Core utilization; (2) Center productivity and scientific impact as indexed by grants, publications, and translational scientific advances; (3) Dissemination of scientific advances and knowledge gained; and (4) Impact on the health and wellbeing of the population.
The Committee of Institutional Advisors continuously reviews the pace of achievement of the Center and monitors the extent to which the IDDRC capitalizes upon the WUSTL environment in fulfillment of its mission of advancing translational research. As Chairs of key departments at WUSTL, the Institutional Advisors provide critical insight into ways in which the structure and programs of the IDDRC dovetail with the resources and agendas of the respective branches of the university that they lead. Ensuring that the IDDRC takes full advantage of what the institutional environment has to offer and facilitating the highest possible degree of synergism between the IDDRC and the programs of key departments and institutes at WUSTL is the specific charge of the Institutional Advisors. Meetings of this group have occurred quarterly since 2010. Each meeting includes a review of the research productivity of the Center, methods and success in attracting new investigators, budgetary status, utilization of core services, and the status of integration of IDDRC functions with other center, core, and departmental services within WUSTL.