Division of Translational Research

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The Division of Translational Research (DTR) accelerates basic research findings toward patient use for neurological disorders and stroke by providing funding, expertise, and resources to the research community.

DTR provides funding and resources through grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to academic and industry researchers to advance early-stage neurological technologies, devices, and therapeutic programs to industry adoption (i.e., investor funding and corporate partnerships). 

Other activities of DTR include supporting the discovery and development of therapeutics and diagnostics for treatment of neurological diseases and stroke; and implementing and managing science policies, training, and program activities related to translational research. DTR also supports the design, development, implementation, and management of research activities and technologies with broad applicability to neuroscience and stroke.

Immediate Office

The Office of the Associate Director supports the strategic goals and objectives of the Division of Translational Research, working with Divisions and Offices across the NIH to advance the research programs within the NINDS mission. The Office oversees the function of twelve programs spanning a diverse set of translational science including several trans-NIH initiatives and the NINDS Small Business Program. 

• Alexander H. Denker Ph.D., Chief of Staff 

Organization

The Division of Translational Research directs and coordinates the activities of the following NINDS programs.

Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP) 
The mission of the NINDS ETSP is to facilitate the discovery of new therapeutic agents addressing unmet therapeutic needs for the treatment of epilepsy. The ETSP provides screening resources to identify novel therapeutics for the treatment of drug resistant epilepsy, disease prevention and modification, and anti-epileptogenesis. The program provides opportunities for qualified researchers from academia and industry in the U.S. and abroad to submit compounds for screening. Meet the ETSP team.

Preclinical Screening Platform for Pain (PSPP-HEAL)
PSPP provides pain researchers from the academic and industry community with an efficient, rigorous, one-stop in vivo screening resource to accelerate efficacy profiling and identification of alternatives to opioid analgesics. PSPP conducts an assessment of in vitro and pharmacokinetic profiles, side effect profiles, abuse liability, and efficacy in models relevant to human pain conditions. Meet the PSPP team.

Blueprint Neurotherapeutics (BPN) for Small Molecules
The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research (BPN) is a collaborative framework that includes the NIH Office of the Director together with eleven NIH Institutes and Centers, that support research on the nervous system. The BPN was launched to enable neuroscientists in academia and biotechnology companies to develop new drugs for nervous system disorders. The NIH Blueprint Neurotherapetuics Network (BPN) for Small Molecules program combines the strengths of NIH and industry expertise to provide grant funding and resources (e.g., contracts) to facilitate small molecule discovery and development to treat nervous system disorders. The program aims to: 1) de-risk potential therapeutics 2) identify the best ideas for translation in the NIH research community through funding opportunities and associated infrastructure, 3) provide non-dilutive grant funding and resources (i.e., contracts), and 4) preservePI/Institution intellectual property and facilitate licensing. Meet the BPN team.

Blueprint Neurotherapeutics (BPN) for Biologics
The Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network for Biologics (BPN-Biologics) program builds upon the success of the BPN Small Molecules program to provide support for biologics and neurotherapeutic discovery and development including: biotechnology products and biologics-based therapies, gene-based therapies, cell therapies, and investing in novel emerging therapies. BPN-Biologics provides non-dilutive funding and resources for biotherapeutic drug discovery and development, from lead optimization through Phase I clinical testing, and preserve PI/Institution intellectual property and facilitate licensing. Meet the BPN-Biologics team.

Pain Therapeutics Development Program (PTDP)
The PTDP program supports preclinical optimization and development of safe, effective, and non-addictive small molecule and biologic therapeutics to treat pain. PTDP is part of the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® (HEAL) Initiative. The PTDP focuses on facilitating drug discovery and development to allow riskier, high-reward projects an opportunity to test the feasibility of their candidate non-addictive pain therapeutics. Meet the PTDP team.

Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts (IGNITE)
IGNITE is a suite of funding opportunities meant to serve as a feeder program to the later-stage therapy development programs such as the Cooperate Research to Enable and Advance Translational Enterprises (CREATE) for Biologics and the Blueprint Neurotherapeutics (BPN) Program. Meet the IGNITE team.

Ultra-rare Gene-based Therapy (URGenT) Network
The URGenT Network provides funding and resources to advance gene-based therapies for ultra-rare neurological disorder from late-stage pre-clinical development into clinical testing. Meet the URGent team.

Biomarkers
The Neuroscience Biomarker Program is dedicated to advancing biomarkers for neurological disease. The program supports rigorous biomarker development and validation to improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research and clinical practice. The NINDS Biomarker Program provides support for biomarker and endpoint discovery, along with analytical and clinical validation in a manner that is consistent with FDA guidelines. Meet the Biomarkers team.

Translational Neural Devices (TND)
The Translational Devices program provides support for the development, optimization, translation, and first-in-human testing of therapeutic and diagnostic devices for disorders that affect the nervous or neuromuscular systems. Meet the TND team.

Office of Neural Exposome & Toxicology (ONETOX)
ONETOX supports research and provides resources for internal and external exposures across three areas of focus: 1) brain and nervous system health, 2) exposures to chemical threats, and 3) the development of countermeasures. ONETOX also examines drug safety evaluations, the overall safety of NIH-funded research including biohazards, Select Agents, and Dual Use Research of Concern. Meet the Office of Neural Exposome & Toxicology team.

Small Business Program
The NINDS Small Business Program awards Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) grants to support companies conducting innovative neuroscience research and/or development that has both the potential for commercialization and public benefit. The Small Business Program contributes to the mission of the Institute by supporting innovative ideas at different stages of development, including applied bench research, translational research, and early-stage clinical trials. Meet the Small Business Program team.