U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know

      Official websites use .gov
                A
                .gov
                website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
          Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
                A lock
                  (
                  
                  )
                   or
                  https://
                   means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.Search
                Menu
    
                      Información en Español
                      Search NINDSSearch NINDS
            

            Main navigation
  

        
              Health Information
                                     Toggle Health Information Dropdown
                                Disorders
                Clinical Trials
                Patient & Caregiver Education
                Public Education
                Support Resources
                Funding
                                     Toggle Funding Dropdown
                                Find Funding Opportunities
                About Funding
                Preparing Your Application
                After You Submit
                Determining Your Funding Likelihood
                Manage Your Award
                NINDS Small Business Program
                Training & Career Development
                Current Research
                                     Toggle Current Research Dropdown
                                Coronavirus and NINDS
                Focus on Disorders
                Focus on Tools & Topics
                Research Funded by NINDS
                Research at NINDS
                Scientific Resources
                Trans-Agency Activities
                News & Events
                                     Toggle News & Events Dropdown
                                Events
                News
                Director's Messages
                About NINDS
                                     Toggle About NINDS Dropdown
                                Who We Are
                What We Do
                Job Opportunities 
 Home
                                About NINDS
                        Who We Are
                        Organization
                        Office of the Director
SHARE: Division of Translational Research
Image
              Dr. Amir Tamiz
Amir Tamiz, Ph.D.
Director of the Division of Translational Research
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)**IGNITEis 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. About NINDS
  
    

    Who We Are
                                                              
                    
                                      Staff Directory
    
            Program Directors
    
            Advisory Council
                                                              
                    
                                      NANDSC ME/CFS Research Roadmap Working Group
    
            NANDS Council Neural Exposome Top Priorities (NEXT) Working Group
    
            NANDSC Membership Roster
    
            NANDSC Fundamental Neuroscience Working Group
    
            NANDSC Working Group for Health Disparities and Inequities in Neurological DisordersLeadership
    
            Board of Scientific Counselors
    
            Director's Corner
    
            Organization
                                                              
                    
                                      Office of the Director
                                                              
                    
                                      Division of Clinical Research
    
            Division of Extramural Activities
    
            Division of Intramural Research
    
            Division of Neuroscience
    
            Division of Translational Research
    
            Office of Scientific Management and Operations
                                                              
                    
                                      Office of Management
    
            Office of Neuroscience Communications and Engagement
    
            Office of Pain Policy and Planning
    
            Office of Science Policy and PlanningOffice of the BRAIN Director
        
  
              
        
  
              
        
  
              
    
            What We Do
                                                              
                    
                                      NINDS Mission
    
            Strategic Plans & Evaluations
                                                              
                    
                                      Strategic Plans
                                                              
                    
                                      Strategic Plan 2021-2026
    
            Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias Summits
    
            Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
    
            Cerebral Palsy Research
    
            Epilepsy Research
    
            Health Disparities and Health Equity
    
            Muscular Dystrophy Coordinating Committee
    
            Parkinson’s Disease Research Planning
    
            Stroke Research Planning
    
            Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
    
            Workforce DiversityProgram Evaluations
        
  
              
    
            Workforce Diversity
                                                              
                    
                                      Diversity Policies & Resources
    
            Enhancing DiversityImpact
                                                              
                    
                                      NINDS Contributions to Approved Therapies
    
            Translational Research Success Stories
    
            Workforce Diversity Success Stories
                                                              
                    
                                      Success Stories: Ukpong Eyo
    
            Success Stories: Brielle Ferguson
    
            Success Stories: Audrey Winkelsas
    
            Success Stories: Eduardo Candelario-Jalil
    
            Success Stories: Daniel Colón-Ramos
    
            Success Stories: Julia Dallman
    
            Success Stories: Rachel Dreilinger
    
            Success Stories: Michelle Gray
    
            Success Stories: Corey Harwell
    
            Success Stories: Franck Kalume
    
            Success Stories: Zayd Khaliq
    
            Success Stories: Naomi Lee
    
            Success Stories: Joaquin N. Lugo
    
            Success Stories: Susan Marino
    
            Success Stories: Cassie S. Mitchell
    
            Success Stories: Edjah K. Nduom
    
            Success Stories: Ketema Paul
    
            Success Stories: Azizi Seixas
    
            Success Stories: Alexis Simpkins
    
            Success Stories: Catrina Sims-Robinson
    
            Success Stories: Mariana Torrente
    
            Success Stories: Tyisha WilliamsBudget & Legislation
                                                              
                    
                                      FY23 Total Appropriation
    
            FY22 Total Appropriation
    
            FY21 Total Appropriation
    
            FY20 Total Appropriation
    
            NINDS Annual Budget
                                                              
                    
                                      NINDS 2025 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2024 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2023 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2022 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2021 Congressional Budget JustificationLegislative Updates
        
  
              
    
            Scientific Review Branch
        
  
              
    
            Job Opportunities
                                                              
                    
                                      Careers at NINDS
                                                              
                    
                                      Director, Biologics Neurotherapeutic Development
    
            Health Program Specialist
    
            Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer)
    
            Health Scientist Administrator (Program Director), Neural Environment Cluster
    
            Neurosurgery Research Fellowships
    
            Program Director, Parkinson’s Disease
    
            Program Director, Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID)
    
            Staff Clinician, Section of Infections of the Nervous SystemNIH BRAIN Initiative® Careers
    
            NIH HEAL Initiative Careers
                                                              
                    
                                      Health Scientist Administrator, PTDP
    
            Health Scientist Administrators, NINDS/PSPP

Did you find the content you were looking for?
  Yes, I did find the content I was looking for



No, I did not find the content I was looking forPlease rate how easy it was to navigate the NINDS website
  Very easy to navigate



Easy to navigate



Neutral



Difficult to navigate



Very difficult to navigateThank you for letting us know! Any other feedback?Submit

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policyand Terms of Serviceapply.

      Last reviewed on April 10, 2024
        Contact Us
  

        
              Contact NINDS
                Visitor Information
        Related Sites
  

        
              Site Map
                National Institutes of Health
                Department of Health & Human Services
                USA.gov
        Policies
  

        
              Accessibility
                Freedom of Information Act
                Linking Policy
                Privacy Statement
                Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
Follow NINDS On Social Media
          
          National Institutes of Health (NIH)
          9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892