About the IDDRC

Scientific discovery is the mission of the Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research Center–discovering why child development goes awry, discovering ways to prevent developmental disabilities, discovering treatments and interventions–so that children and adults with disabilities can live, learn, work, and enjoy their lives with their families and friends in their own communities.

Established by Congress in 1963 as "centers of excellence" for research in mental retardation and developmental disabilities, IDDRCs represent our nation's first sustained effort to prevent and treat developmental disabilities through biomedical and behavioral research. Today, the Waisman Center IDDRC is a dynamic, state-of-the-art research center with a long history of accomplishments. Its outstanding physical facilities reflect continual improvement and reinvestment, and its diverse scientific programs reflect multidisciplinary research spanning the biological and behavioral sciences relevant to Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities.

The Waisman Center is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, academic center at the UW-Madison, devoted to the advancement of knowledge about human development, developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases. The Waisman Center supports investigators who conduct research in the biological and behavioral sciences, trains scientists in fields relevant to Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, trains clinicians in the delivery of clinical and educational services for persons with developmental disabilities, and conducts continuing education and technical assistance programs on behalf of national, state, and local agencies and organizations.