Dr. Vincent Riccardi Video

Author: CDMRP

Published On: 05/01/2019

Watch the video here.

Neurofibromatosis type one is the single most common human inherited genetic disorder—about 1 in 3,000 people—and it gets its name from the mass lesions that are called neurofibromas.

It also involves some skeletal problems, some blood vessel problems, and pretty close to 60 percent of individuals have some degree of learning or performance disorder. Some it’s marginal, and I know a number of people with NF1 who have medical degrees or PhDs, so it doesn’t preclude that, but it has a burden in terms of brain activity.

The single best program in terms of consistency of the research that’s done, the consistency of attracting good proposals, has been the DoD Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP). Without any question, it is the best—because the longevity and the openness and the constant recruitment at all levels. I just don’t think we’d be anywhere near making the progress that we’ve made without the NFRP.