Defining The Future

In many ways, 2013 was a banner year for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Research Institute. We achieved a number of firsts, notably being named the best children’s hospital in the country by both U.S. News & World Report and Parents magazine. In April it was announced that the Research Institute received more NIH funding than any other independent children’s hospital.

These achievements helped cement our reputation as the leader in both the lab and the clinic. It’s important, however, not to look at these accomplishments individually but in the broader context of our tradition of pioneering research that have brought us where we are today.

And as bright as the promise is today of improving the health and well-being of children around the world, the future is even brighter.

Today we are pleased to bring you this year’s Research Annual Report, which highlights how we are leading the way in innovative therapies that save lives of children every day. The passion and expertise of our hundreds of investigators contribute to the collective scientific knowledge and, most importantly, deliver promising therapies to patients’ bedsides. We are bringing the potential of personalized medicine to the forefront of care and enhancing the depth of our knowledge on the genetic underpinnings of disease.

Childhood cancer, fetal therapy, diabetes, hemophilia, pediatric heart disease, cystic fibrosis, nutrition disorders, mental retardation, AIDS, sickle cell disease, and injury prevention are a few of the many areas where our state-of-the-art technologies, innovations, and expertise are advancing our understanding of diseases and health.

In addition, our investigators have assumed leadership positions that help shape legislation and propel change broadly, and our commitment to training the next generation of scientists has never waivered.

In essence, we are not only leading pediatric research. We are defining its future.

We hope you have an opportunity to peruse the Research Annual Report, which is available both as an interactive website and a downloadable PDF. And, as always, we thank you for your continued support.