Children’s National announces Heart Research Institute, advancing pediatric cardiac research

A new dedicated research arm within the Heart and Lung Center at Children’s National Hospital will supercharge efforts to improve the safety, effectiveness and accessibility of pediatric heart care locally, nationally and around the world. The initiative was made possible by over $12 million in philanthropic support for pediatric cardiac research.

“We care for the sickest children and the most complex cases here,” says Yves d’Udekem, MD, chief of Cardiac Surgery at Children’s National and executive director of the Heart Research Institute. “Every challenge in the operating room pushes me back to the lab, to asking questions and finding new ideas that can make care better for children and families. The Heart Research Institute is a place where we can test new ideas, change practice and build new programs. Here, we will change our field. It is already happening.”

The research institute aims to transform care and enhance long-term quality of life for children and adults with heart disease — from prenatal stages throughout their lives. It will focus on five core pillars:

• Transformative research to uncover the inner workings of heart disease and drive both earlier detection and better interventions for mothers and their babies.
• Brain and mental health care investigations to support both maternal well-being and the developing brains of children with heart disease.
• Studies to improve lifelong care for children with critical and chronic heart conditions.
• Optimization of cutting-edge technology to improve short- and long-term outcomes.
• Exploring evidence-based strategies to increase heart care accessibility so everyone gets the right care when they need it.

As an integral component within the Children’s National Heart and Lung Center, the Heart Research Institute’s focus on earlier detection, better treatments and wellness support for children and families facing heart conditions can, and will, be directly translated into research-backed, family-centered clinical practices.

“Research is the backbone of every medical breakthrough,” says Wayne J. Franklin, MD, MBA, senior vice president of the Children’s National Heart and Lung Center at Children’s National. “It drives us to refine and enhance our clinical practices, to deliver the best possible care for children and families and never settle for ‘good enough.’ Our dedicated focus on research and innovation through our Heart Research Institute will set new benchmarks in cardiovascular care.”