Fostering translation of genetics research: an NIDDK perspective

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the NIH, supports a large and varied portfolio of genetic research grants and contracts. As a funding agency, the NIDDK aims to support research that can be translated into discoveries that help to reduce the burden of genetic diseases. Except for the major advances in diagnostics for Mendelian diseases and a few disease-specific therapies, there has only been modest clinical benefit from the investment in human genetics research. For genetically complex, multifactorial diseases, including many of the common diseases in the USA, the risk genes are harder to find than for Mendelian diseases, and translation seems even further off. How can NIDDK make its investment in human genetics research pay off? This report describes the challenges in human genetics research and NIDDK's fivefold funding strategy to support science that will eventually lead to meaningful translation.