Biology professor John Manak, received a Summer 2026 Interdisciplinary Research Grant from the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies to study Intellectual disability (ID). ID is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant limitations in learning, memory, and problem-solving as well as social interaction and communication. Using health databases and fruit fly genetic approaches, Dr. Manak will work with Dr. Benjamin Darbro from the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics to identify genes associated with ID. The project will be funded by a Laura Spelman Rockefeller grant.