Public Health Archives

In the News: FLiPRx “Food as Medicine” program boosts health for children and families

February 17, 2026

A story from ABC7/WJLA highlights how Children’s National Hospital is helping turn food into medicine for families across our region. The segment features the Family Lifestyle Produce Prescription Program (FLiPRx), an innovative collaboration between Children’s National and 4P Foods, with an expansion funded generously by the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation.

Through the program, clinicians screen patients for food insecurity and diet-related conditions and prescribe fresh, locally sourced produce as part of a comprehensive care plan. Families enrolled in FLiPRx receive regular deliveries of fruits and vegetables sourced from regional farmers. The goal is simple but powerful: Make nutritious food accessible, consistent and integrated into clinical care.

As highlighted in the ABC7 story, early outcomes are promising. Families are reporting healthier eating habits and some participants have seen meaningful improvements in key health indicators, including blood sugar levels.

FLiPRx reflects a broader commitment to community-driven innovation at Children’s National. By bringing together healthcare providers, local agriculture and philanthropy, the program addresses food insecurity and chronic disease at the same time.

Watch the full ABC7 story to see how this partnership is already making a difference for children and families in our community.

Related Research

U.S. News & World Report voting

February 3, 2026

Children’s National is ranked one of the top 10 pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Our faculty and staff are proud of the impact made on the lives of children and families in our community. Your participation in the U.S. News & World Report annual reputational survey validates the quality of care we provide and reflects the mutual respect and trust we share as healthcare professionals.

How to determine your voting eligibility

Voting for the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals rankings can be done only through Doximity.

To participate, physicians must:

Be board-certified and meet the eligibility criteria for the voting categories.
For child and adolescent psychologists, your account must be up to date with your specialty and subspecialty correctly marked.
Be a credential-verified member of Doximity (you must have an active and claimed Doximity profile).
Have all certifications and board documents currently up-to-date in your Doximity profile.

View the full eligibility criteria

How to claim your Doximity profile to vote

You have to claim your profile on Doximity.com to participate in the online survey. If you have not yet claimed your Doximity profile, go to Doximity.com, and click “Find My Profile.”
Once your profile has been claimed, you must confirm your email address and board certifications.
Verified Doximity members will receive an email inviting them to participate in the U.S. News survey.
For more information on how to claim your profile, visit Doximity.com

How to update and verify existing Doximity account information

Your Doximity profile must have up-to-date licenses, certifications and board documents.

Once you are logged in, your profile will automatically be in “Edit Mode.” You are able to add new items or edit existing information.
Update your Doximity profile and ensure your information is current.

Once registered, users wishing to participate in the online survey should:

Watch for an email from Doximity about the annual member survey.
Even if you don’t see the email, if you are a registered Doximity user, you can still vote by logging in to Doximity.com with your username and password during the voting period.
Once logged in, look for a U.S. News graphic or button on the homepage and click on it.
The survey asks users to name the hospitals that provide the best care in your respective specialty, without consideration to location or cost. Pediatric specialists will list 10 hospitals. The order in which you list the hospitals does not matter.

Please note: Children’s National Hospital is listed as “Children’s National Hospital Washington, DC” on the survey.

Visit Doximity’s FAQs if you have issues or questions about registration or claiming your profile.

How to cast your vote

In February 2026 when voting opens, all survey-eligible physicians will receive a notification on the Doximity app for Android or iOS. If you do not use the Doximity app, you will receive an email when voting opens.

Log in to your Doximity account at doximity.com or via the mobile app.
Click the Notifications icon or tap the “Submit your Nominations” button on the homepage. You can also search for “U.S. News Best Hospitals”
Select 10 hospitals in your respective specialty that you believe provide the best care in the United States.
Submit your vote

Having technical issues?

If you have difficulty registering with Doximity or completing the survey, please visit Doximity support for assistance.

Vote

The 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals reputation voting will open in mid-February. Look for your Doximity notification to vote.

Cast your vote

Cara Larson Biddle, MD, MPH, named as the Diane and Norman Bernstein Professor of Community Pediatrics

January 19, 2026

“I’m very honored to be the new Diane and Norman Bernstein Professor of Community Pediatrics,” Dr. Biddle says. “My goal is to safeguard and sustain key community programs that are so vital to our children and families. This is such wonderful support.”

Children’s National Hospital named Cara Larson Biddle, MD, MPH, as the Diane and Norman Bernstein Professor of Community Pediatrics.

Dr. Biddle serves as interim senior vice president for Community Health and is the division chief of General Pediatrics and Community Health at Children’s National. She trains medical students and residents, with an emphasis on general pediatrics and delivering community-focused, comprehensive healthcare services in the medical home setting.

The big picture

Dr. Biddle joins a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair. We are grateful to generous donors who have altogether funded 51 professorships.

Professorships support groundbreaking work on behalf of children and their families. They foster new discoveries and innovations in pediatric medicine. These appointments carry prestige and honor that reflect the recipient’s achievements and the donor’s commitment to advancing and sustaining knowledge.

Why it matters

A native Washingtonian, Dr. Biddle has a deep-rooted commitment to children and families in the community, especially those living in under-resourced areas. Dr. Biddle also has expertise in the care of children and adolescents with complex and chronic healthcare conditions. She has served Children’s National for 20 years.

Dr. Biddle played a lead role in integrating complex care and mental and behavioral health into the Goldberg Center for Community Pediatric Health, enabling patients to receive continuous, coordinated treatment at their local primary care locations.

“I’m very honored to be the new Diane and Norman Bernstein Professor of Community Pediatrics,” Dr. Biddle says. “My goal is to safeguard and sustain key community programs that are so vital to our children and families. This is such wonderful support.”

Moving the field forward

The Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation, through its vision and generosity, is ensuring that Dr. Biddle and future holders of this professorship will launch bold, new initiatives to advance the field of community pediatric health, elevate our leadership and improve the lives of all children in the Washington, D.C., area.

Diane and Norman Bernstein had a decades-long relationship with Children’s National. Diane was a volunteer and an employee at Children’s National during the 1970s and 1980s. The couple created this endowment to support initiatives and partnerships that improve healthcare delivery and outcomes for children and their families in the community. The Bernsteins passed away in 2021, but their legacy of giving continues throughout the capital area.

“We are delighted to know Diane & Norman’s endowment to Children’s National Hospital enables Dr. Biddle to expand the hospital’s reach in pediatric community health,” says Kelly Lynch, executive director, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation. “Diane was a lifelong activist on children’s issues. She believed deeply that for kids to thrive, they must have access to excellent healthcare. Dr. Biddle’s work will continue her spirited legacy.”

How a long-term community partnership reshaped care for young families

January 16, 2026

A new study from Children’s National shows how a five-year, community-engaged partnership with young parents reshaped care, research, and advocacy for pregnant and parenting teens.

Building meaningful partnerships with patients takes time, trust and a willingness to share power. A new family partnerships article from Children’s National Hospital shows what that commitment can look like in practice, drawing on a five-year collaboration designed to support pregnant and parenting teens through a community engaged model rooted in lived experience.

Led by pediatrician Yael Smiley, MD, the article is co-written with three young parents who have been part of the partnership since its earliest days. Together, they tell the story of a “context team,” a group of young parents whose firsthand experiences helped shape clinical services, research priorities and advocacy efforts across the institution. Rather than serving only as advisors, these parents were embedded as co-leaders, influencing decisions and outcomes over time.

Moving beyond consultation to true partnership

Community engaged research is widely recognized as essential for advancing quality care. Still, detailed case studies that show how long-term partnerships function and evolve remain limited. This work helps fill that gap by documenting the structure, deliverables and outcomes of a sustained academic community collaboration.

Over five years, the context team informed how care was delivered, how research questions were framed and how policies affecting young families were approached. The article traces the relationships that formed between patients, hospital staff and community partners, highlighting what it takes to build trust and maintain momentum across years, not just months.

Why this approach benefits patients

Including patients as co-leaders in research, policy and clinical care benefits everyone involved. For the young parents on the context team, the partnership created opportunities for growth, leadership development and professional advancement. For the health system, centering lived experience led to more responsive programs and systems that better reflect the realities of the families they serve.

The authors emphasize that when those most impacted by health care systems help guide them, the resulting care is stronger, more relevant and more sustainable.

A model for the field and for Children’s National

As interest in community engaged research continues to grow, this work offers a practical roadmap for others aiming to build similar partnerships. By sharing concrete lessons from a five-year collaboration, the article moves the field beyond theory toward implementation.

Projects like this also reflect a broader shift underway at Children’s National, where community engaged research efforts are emerging across departments and disciplines. Together, they point toward a future where patients are not just participants in research and care, but partners in shaping it.

Read the full study “The Context Team: Partnering with Young Parents” in Pediatrics. Additional authors from Children’s National include Haley Bliss, MD and Christiana Jolda, LICSW.

New insights into early brain development following in-utero COVID-19 exposure

January 16, 2026

New research from Children’s National links in-utero COVID-19 exposure to subtle differences in newborn brain development and cognitive and emotional outcomes at age two.

Researchers studying prenatal exposure to SARS-CoV-2 found that it was linked to measurable differences in newborn brain structure and, by age two, lower cognitive scores and higher internalizing behaviors.

Led by the Developing Brain Institute at Children’s National Hospital, a new study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity followed mother-baby pairs in the Washington, D.C., region and compared infants exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy (2020–2022) with a normative pre-pandemic cohort (2016–2019). Researchers used newborn brain MRI scans and standardized toddler developmental assessments to better understand what in-utero exposure may mean as children grow.

The big picture

During past viral outbreaks, prenatal infections have been linked with later neurodevelopmental and mental health risks. The COVID-19 pandemic raised similar concerns, but the longer-term effects of in-utero exposure are still coming into focus.

In this study, researchers prospectively enrolled 142 mother baby pairs: 103 from a pre-pandemic cohort and 39 with confirmed maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. Infants underwent quantitative brain MRI scans at about two weeks old during natural sleep and without sedation. When children were about 2 years old, they were assessed by trained pediatric developmental psychologists using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III), alongside parent-reported social-emotional and behavioral measures using the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (ITSEA).

The newborn MRI findings showed that prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure was associated with differences in regional brain volumes, including cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter, cerebral white matter and the left hippocampus, compared to infants from healthy pregnancies.

“At the newborn stage, we’re seeing differences in how specific brain regions are developing after in-utero exposure,” said Nickie Andescavage, MD, neonatologist at Children’s National and a senior author on the study. “Brain imaging allows us to detect these changes very early, before behavioral differences are visible.”

Two-year follow-up

At age two, toddlers exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in utero scored lower on cognitive measures and social-emotional measures compared with children in the pre-pandemic cohort. They also had higher scores on the internalizing domain of the ITSEA, a reflection of early anxiety symptoms.

The research team used mediation analyses to explore how early brain differences might relate to later outcomes. Their results suggest that differences in newborn cortical gray matter volumes statistically accounted for part of the association between prenatal exposure and lower toddler cognitive scores. In turn, lower cognitive scores statistically mediated part of the association between prenatal exposure and higher internalizing behaviors.

“Our goal was not just to identify differences, but to understand how early brain development after SARS-CoV-2 exposure might relate to later learning and behavioral outcomes,” said Susan Weiner, PhD, lead author of the study and a researcher at Children’s National. “These findings suggest that early changes in brain structure may help explain why we see differences in cognition and emotional development at toddler age.”

Why this matters for families and clinicians

For families, one of the hardest parts of the pandemic has been uncertainty about what it might mean for children born during that period. Most children exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in utero will not have severe developmental problems, and this study does not suggest outcomes are predetermined. But it does add to growing evidence that prenatal exposure may be associated with subtle differences that can be detected early.

The findings reinforce the importance of routine developmental screening and follow-up, especially for children born during the COVID era. Pediatric developmental surveillance is already a standard part of well-child care, and early identification of concerns can connect families with supportive services when they are most effective.

“The most important message is not alarm,” Andescavage said. “It’s awareness and follow-up. Early monitoring helps ensure children get support if and when they need it.”

What’s next

The authors note several limitations. The exposed cohort was relatively small, and the study population had high overall education levels, which may limit how broadly the findings apply across populations. The study also compared a pandemic cohort to a pre-pandemic cohort, making it difficult to fully separate the effects of viral exposure from broader pandemic-related stressors, even though maternal stress and anxiety were assessed.

Larger and more diverse longitudinal studies are now needed to determine whether these early differences persist, change or diminish as children reach school age and to identify factors that may protect or promote healthy development.

For now, the takeaway is practical and actionable: Children born during the COVID era, including those exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in utero, benefit from consistent developmental screening, and families should feel empowered to raise concerns early.

Read the full open access study, “The COVID generation: the neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero COVID-19 exposure,” in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. Additional authors from Children’s National include Yao Wu, PhD, Jacob Jenhao Cheng, PhD, Melissa O’Connell Ligget, PhD, Cassianna McCants, PsyD, Esther Adegbulugbe, MS, Anna Mears, Diedtra Henderson and Catherine Limperopoulos, PhD.

New insights into how COVID-19 variants affected children with tracheostomy

January 12, 2026

A new multicenter study shows how COVID-19 variants affected children with tracheostomy, with high risk across all waves.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many of the hardest questions centered on children with medical complexity. Clinicians knew these patients were vulnerable to respiratory infections, but there was little data to guide care as COVID-19 evolved into new variants. For children with tracheostomy, even small respiratory changes can lead to rapid deterioration, making that uncertainty especially concerning.

Acute respiratory infections are already the leading cause of illness and death in children with tracheostomy. Hospital admissions for concern of bacterial tracheostomy-associated infection are common, and viral infections often complicate care. As COVID-19 spread and changed over time, clinicians needed clearer evidence about how this virus behaved in a population living with very limited respiratory reserve.

What the study examined

To address that gap, researchers from six children’s hospitals, including Children’s National Hospital, conducted a multicenter prospective cohort study examining COVID-19 outcomes in children with tracheostomy. The study followed 103 children across 108 hospital admissions. All were hospitalized for concern of bacterial tracheostomy-associated infection and tested positive for COVID-19 at the time of admission. The analysis spanned the early or alpha, delta, and omicron variant periods.

These were not mild cases. Across every variant, most children required increased respiratory support during hospitalization. Between 76 and 89 percent needed more oxygen, and 35 to 67 percent required increased ventilatory support. While deaths were uncommon, mortality still occurred in 3 to 6 percent of cases. COVID-19 posed real risk for children with tracheostomy, regardless of variant.

Key findings by variant

While overall risk remained high, the delta period stood out. Children hospitalized during the delta wave were significantly more likely to receive dexamethasone than those hospitalized during the early or alpha period. Nearly 80 percent of children hospitalized during delta received steroids, compared with 40 percent during alpha.

This difference aligned with other signals of increased inflammation. C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher during delta infections, suggesting a stronger inflammatory response. Clinicians also observed clinically meaningful increases in ventilatory support during the delta period. Some differences did not reach statistical significance due to smaller sample sizes, but the pattern reflected what many providers experienced during that phase of the pandemic.

“We were seeing children who already had very limited respiratory reserve needing more support during delta infections,” said Andrea Hahn, MD, MS, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Children’s National and study author. “This kind of data helps put those clinical experiences into context and gives us evidence to better guide care for this population.”

Omicron infections looked different. Children hospitalized during the omicron period were less likely to present with hypoxia or require increases in ventilator settings compared to those hospitalized during alpha or delta. This mirrors broader pediatric trends showing that omicron often caused less severe lower respiratory disease, even as it spread more easily.

That distinction matters, but it does not eliminate risk. Many children with tracheostomy infected during the omicron period still required hospitalization, oxygen support and close monitoring as even modest respiratory changes can escalate quickly for these medically complex children.

A surprising vaccination gap

One of the most striking findings in the study was persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates. Across all three variant periods, only 10 to 17 percent of children were vaccinated prior to hospitalization. Those rates did not meaningfully increase over time, even as vaccines became widely available and pediatric vaccination rates rose nationally.

This was unexpected. Children with tracheostomy are at higher risk for severe respiratory illness, yet they appeared less likely to be vaccinated than children overall. The study could not determine why, but it raises important questions about access, caregiver concerns, and how vaccination guidance is communicated to families of children with medical complexity.

What this means for clinicians and families

This is the largest study published to date examining COVID-19 outcomes in children with tracheostomy. It confirms that vulnerability persisted across variants and that changes in variant behavior did not eliminate risk. It also points to clear opportunities to strengthen prevention efforts and better support families navigating complex care decisions.

Read the full study, “Comparing COVID-19 Variants in Children Hospitalized for Concern of Tracheostomy-associated Infection: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study” in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Additional authors from Children’s National include Margaret Lois Rush, MD.

The best of 2025 from Innovation District

December 24, 2025

In 2025, Innovation District readers gravitated toward stories that explored how research and clinical innovation are reshaping pediatric care in real time. This year’s most popular articles highlighted advances in complex surgical care, evidence-based treatments for chronic and neuropsychiatric conditions and emerging technologies — from wearable data to artificial intelligence — that are changing how clinicians diagnose, treat and support children and families. Read on for our list of the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2025.

1. Life-changing care: How Children’s National tackles pediatric cervical spine injuries

The Cervical Spine program at Children’s National Hospital is responsible for treating a range of conditions, including trauma, congenital abnormalities and tumors. These conditions can lead to instability or misalignment of the cervical spine. “There are unique challenges in pediatric cases due to anatomical differences. The cervical spines of children are more at risk for injury because of their developmental stage and structural characteristics,” says Matthew Oetgen, MD, MBA, chief of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Children’s National.
(2 min. read)

2. Pioneering evidence-based treatments for substance addictions

Increasing evidence-based treatment is a key component of the Addictions Program at Children’s National Hospital, created in 2022 and led by Sivabalaji Kaliamurthy, MD. “We really want to focus on intervening in an evidence-based manner in the primary care setting because that is where most of our patients are going to first access care outside of the emergency room,” explains Dr. Kaliamurthy.
(3 min. read)

3. Breaking barriers in growth disorder treatment for families

For many children with short stature and other rare genetic growth disorders, there have been no next steps after usual treatment options prove ineffective. Researchers at Children’s National Hospital are digging deeper to find the root genetic causes of short stature disorders and creating novel, nuanced treatment options that have the opportunity to change how the field approaches these cases.
(4 min. read)

4. The link between metabolic acidosis and cardiovascular disease in children with CKD

Denver D. Brown, MD, nephrologist at Children’s National, is looking at whether untreated metabolic acidosis could potentially contribute to cardiovascular outcomes in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, she explains her motivation, findings and future directions for this critical research.
(3 min. read)

5. Therapy approach shows promise for PANS/PANDAS

A multidisciplinary therapy model developed at Children’s National shows promise for children with PANS and PANDAS, significantly reducing symptoms through structured cognitive-behavioral therapy and family-centered care. The approach could offer a new standard for treating these rare, complex neuropsychiatric disorders.
(2 min. read)

6. Wearable tech data shows promise in ADHD detection

A study from Children’s National reveals that common wearable devices like Fitbits may hold the key to improving how we identify Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adolescents. By analyzing patterns in heart rate, activity levels and energy expenditure, researchers were able to predict ADHD diagnoses with striking accuracy, offering a glimpse into a future where objective, real-time data supports earlier and more personalized mental healthcare.
(2 min. read)

7. Novel pediatric pacemaker shows safety, effectiveness for fragile infants in multi-center study

A novel implantable pacemaker designed specifically for infants has demonstrated safety and effectiveness in stabilizing heart rhythms for at least two years. The multi-center study of 29 infants showed stable pacing, normal electrical parameters and expected battery life, offering a viable alternative to standard-size devices for the smallest children.
(2 min. read)

8. Socioeconomic disadvantage associated with higher long-term mortality for children after heart surgery

Children who had heart surgery and come from less advantaged neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C., region are much more likely to die in the long term than those from neighborhoods with more wealth and opportunity. The finding was part of a presentation titled, Socioeconomic Disadvantage Is Associated with Higher Long-Term Mortality After Cardiac Surgery, by Jennifer Klein, MD, MPH, cardiologist at Children’s National Hospital, during the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.
(2 min. read)

9. Children’s National brings AI into the RHD early diagnosis equation

Experts from Children’s National traveled to Uganda to continue work on a pilot program applying artificial intelligence (AI) to the diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). The team created a tool that uses AI to predict RHD by identifying leaky heart valves on handheld ultrasound devices, then prompts a referral for a full echocardiogram.
(2 min. read)

10. Fighting food insecurity with fresh produce and education

Food insecurity is rising in Washington, D.C. and it’s hitting families with children the hardest. That’s why Children’s National Hospital created the Family Lifestyle Program (FLiP) – a multi-layered intervention, which offers Patient Navigation (FLiP-PN) and a Produce Prescription Intervention (FLiPRx). FLiP is a Food Is Medicine, clinical-community initiative that helps families get access to fresh food, build healthy habits and lower their risk of diet-related diseases like diabetes and obesity.
(3 min. read)

Children’s National in the News: 2025

December 23, 2025

In 2025, Children’s National Hospital was featured in major national news outlets for pioneering advances in pediatric care, groundbreaking clinical research and powerful human stories of healing and hope. From gene therapy for sickle cell disease and innovative pacemakers for newborns to breakthrough transplants, cancer trials and emerging mental health concerns like AI psychosis, these stories highlight the hospital’s leadership across the full spectrum of pediatric medicine. The following ten highlights showcase the patients, families and experts behind this impact, as reported by outlets including NBC News, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, USA Today, Healio, ABC News and ESPN.

1. Gene therapy treatment gives new hope to sickle cell patients

Children’s National patient Wedam, 19, begins the first steps for intensive gene therapy for sickle cell disease, discussing his skepticism while his mother expresses her joy and gratitude for the treatment. (NBC News)

2. Little pacemakers ‘reliable’ in stabilizing newborns needing pacing

Charles Berul, MD, pediatric electrophysiologist and emeritus chief of Cardiology, discusses his study highlighting the safety and efficacy of an innovative smaller pacemaker designed for newborns with critical congenital heart disease. (Healio)

3. Why this clinical trial is offering some young cancer patients hope

Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, senior vice president and chief research officer, and the NexTGen team are poised to recruit patients for a new clinical trial that will take on an old, implacable foe: children’s solid tumors. (The Washington Post)

4. 11-year-old receives living donor heart valve to replace artificial one in breakthrough surgery

Yves d’Udekem, MD, PhD, chief of Cardiac Surgery, talked to Good Morning America about how an 11-year-old’s groundbreaking partial heart transplant will change his life and the lives of other children in need of valve replacements. (Good Morning America)

5. 9-year-old fights brain cancer with magic in her heart

The Lilabean Foundation along with Brian Rood, MD, medical director of the Brain Tumor Institute, talked about how patients like Kasey Zachman are the motivation behind finding a cure for brain cancer. (ABC News)

6. How Little League helps father-son duo recover from kidney transplant

USA Today Sports spoke with Gavin Brown and his parents, as well as Yi Shi, MD, a pediatric nephrologist at Children’s National Hospital, about their kidney transplant journey. (USA Today)

7. Jayden Daniels surprises Children’s National patient

After Jayden Daniels visited Commanders fan Sarah Addison at Children’s National Hospital while she was being treated for myeloid leukemia, they quickly became friends. (ESPN)

8. At D.C. children’s hospital, opera singers offer light, hope and healing

International opera stars performed for children, their families and employees at Children’s National Hospital. (The Washington Post)

9. ‘Gift of life:’ Tiny heart transplant saves life of Maryland baby

A baby boy in Maryland is back home after being given a second chance at life, just before his first birthday. The boy’s mother and his surgeon, Manan Desai, MD, share the remarkable story of a moment that changed all of their lives. (NBC4)

10. AI psychosis: Kids left delusional and paranoid over conversations with chatbots

Ashley Maxie-Moreman, PhD, clinical psychologist, spoke to ABC7 about what AI psychosis is and what parents need to know. (ABC7)

Building the future of pediatric preparedness: Inside SPARK Capstone 2025

December 10, 2025

Founders from the 2025 SPARK cohort take the stage at Capstone and Pitch Day at Children’s National, presenting pediatric-first solutions to national preparedness challenges.

On November 18, the SPARK Hub for Innovations in Pediatrics welcomed federal partners, researchers, clinicians and startup founders to the 2025 Capstone and Pitch Day at the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus. The event highlighted how pediatric-first innovation strengthens national preparedness and demonstrated the power of coordinated partnerships across the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the Pediatric Pandemic Network, Children’s National Hospital and the broader venture community.

From diagnostics and vaccines to emergency medicine and clinical devices, this year’s cohort elevated solutions designed to meet children where current systems fall short.

The big picture

The afternoon opened with welcoming remarks from SPARK Principal Investigator Julia Finkel, MD, followed by an overview from BARDA Program Manager Mary Larkin on how federal innovation pathways can accelerate pediatric-focused medical countermeasures.

Her remarks framed the accelerator as part of a larger national strategy: flexible public-private partnerships, non-dilutive funding models and rapid technology development cycles aimed at improving preparedness for infectious disease threats, chemical and radiological hazards and emerging public health emergencies. These same themes carried through the pitches that followed, underscoring how innovation must be timely, evidence-driven and scalable.

Why it matters

A major focal point of the afternoon was the panel discussion, “Ensuring Pediatric Equity in Medical Countermeasures: From Evidence to Action,” featuring BARDA Clinical Development Director Bill Kapogiannis, MD, and Children’s National Chief of Emergency Medicine Joelle Simpson, MD.

The conversation centered on a recurring challenge: children remain underrepresented across the entire lifecycle, including preclinical testing, adaptive trial design, regulatory pathways and distribution strategies. Because children experience distinct physiologic, developmental and social factors during emergencies, any gaps in preparedness amplify disparities.

Panelists emphasized:

The need for earlier inclusion of pediatric data in national biodefense strategies
System-level reforms to ensure equitable access to countermeasures
Stronger partnerships between hospitals, federal agencies and community organizations
Lessons from COVID that still have not been fully institutionalized, particularly around surge capacity and supply chain resilience

Their perspective shaped the lens through which the SPARK pitches were viewed: Not simply as emerging technologies, but as essential tools for equity.

Portfolio highlights

SPARK Capstone and Pitch Day 2025 signage greets partners, founders and clinicians as they gather to advance pediatric preparedness.

The 2025 SPARK cohort tackled some of the most persistent and high-stakes gaps in pediatric preparedness and care.

AcQumen Medical: A noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring platform that supports earlier detection of circulatory collapse, sepsis and shock in pediatric intensive care units. By combining ultrasound and impedance technologies, the UltraTrac device delivers accurate, continuous measurements without invasive lines.
BugSee: A rapid, same-day diagnostic approach for pediatric sepsis that bypasses slow culture-based workflows. Their selective lysis technology preserves viable bacteria from whole blood, enabling species ID and antibiotic susceptibility testing within hours.
Congruence Medical Solutions: A dose-metered delivery platform that allows pegfilgrastim to be safely administered to children at precise microliter quantities. Although the drug is approved for pediatric use, current adult-focused devices prevent accurate dosing.
Deep Breathe: A universal lung assessment tool designed for both children and adults, supporting earlier triage, telehealth use cases and improved respiratory decision-making across care settings.
Rhinomed: A pediatric-specific nasal swab that significantly reduces testing-related distress, increasing parental willingness to test children for respiratory infections. Its design integrates with existing antigen and PCR platforms and improves comfort without sacrificing accuracy.
VaxSyna: A next-generation, antibody-based vaccine platform with multi-antigen display and no adjuvant requirement. Their lead indication targets herpes simplex virus, aiming to address a condition with major neonatal morbidity and no approved vaccine.
WearableDose: A real-time absorbed radiation dosimeter delivered as a skin patch. It provides precise, patient-specific measurements, addressing a long-standing gap in pediatric imaging and radiation safety.
Vesynta: A pediatrics-first precision dosing digital marketplace that provides clinicians with personalized treatment insights to optimize therapeutic safety and efficacy.
Sibel Health: An advanced wearable sensor-based platform for remote pediatric patient monitoring in the context of pandemic response.

What’s next

Following the pitch session, a Fireside Chat session brought together SPARK founders and BioHealth Innovation mentors to explore what comes after the accelerator. They discussed regulatory strategy, commercialization planning and the translational challenges unique to pediatric-focused technologies.

Looking ahead, the SPARK program will continue to guide each company through clinical validation, FDA pathways, BARDA engagement and partnership development. Many are pursuing active or future pilots with Children’s National, strengthening a pipeline of solutions that are grounded in real patient needs and real-world clinical environments.

More broadly, the 2025 cohort reinforces a central theme: Pediatric innovation is essential to national health security. When children are fully integrated into preparedness strategies, the entire healthcare system becomes more resilient, equitable and future-ready.

AI tool shows promise for faster, more accurate pediatric tuberculosis detection

December 4, 2025

AI researchers have created pTBLightNet, a deep-learning model that detects pediatric tuberculosis on chest X-rays with high accuracy.

A new international study published in Nature Communications highlights a promising step forward in using an artificial intelligence model, pTBLightNet, to detect pediatric tuberculosis (TB) on chest X-rays. The study, led in part by Marius George Linguraru, DPhil, MA, MS, Connor Family Professor of Research and Innovation and principal investigator in the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Hospital and by Ramón Sánchez-Jacob, MD, a radiologist at Children’s National, could help improve early diagnosis in settings where clinical experts are scarce

The big picture

Tuberculosis remains one of the leading causes of death from an infectious agent worldwide, and children face disproportionate risks. Diagnosing TB in young patients is complex: symptoms are often nonspecific, radiographic findings are subtle and bacteriologic confirmation is difficult to obtain. As a result, many children with TB are never diagnosed or treated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies chest X-rays as a central tool for screening and triage, yet interpreting pediatric images is challenging even for experts. pTBLightNet was developed to support clinics by identifying the radiographic signatures consistent with pediatric TB.

The study team, led by the Polytechnic University in Madrid, trained and evaluated the AI model on more than 900 pediatric chest X-rays collected in Mozambique, Spain, and the United States. To mirror real-world radiology practice, the model incorporates both frontal and lateral X-rays. The system was also pretrained on more than 100,000 adult chest X-rays before fine tuning on pediatric TB data.

The model achieved an accuracy of approximately 90% on data from international sites. The cohort from Children’s National was drawn from emergency department patients with respiratory symptoms.

Why this matters

Young children, especially those under five, face the highest risk of severe TB and related death. They are also the group most likely to be missed or receive delayed treatment. In this context, a tool capable of identifying TB in X-ray imaging can meaningfully shift the timeline of care and improve chances of recovery.

The study offers several important insights. First, pretraining on adult datasets and fine-tuning on pediatric cases improves the performance of the AI model. Second, age stratified models match or even exceed the performance of a single, all ages model despite being trained on substantially smaller datasets. This suggests that the radiologic presentation of TB varies enough by age to justify the development of pediatric-specific models. Third, the addition of lateral X-ray views proves especially valuable for diagnosing TB in younger children.

What’s next

The team plans to validate the AI model performance in routine clinical workflows and help clinicians distinguish TB from other respiratory infections. Integration of pTBLightNet into telemedicine and referral platforms holds potential to extend expert-level diagnostics to underserved regions, helping ensure children everywhere receive timely, accurate evaluation.

You can read the full study, “Multi-view deep learning framework for the detection of chest X-rays compatible with pediatric pulmonary tuberculosis” in Nature Communications here.

Additional research from Children’s National was done by Pooneh Roshanitabrizi, PhD.

Marius George Linguraru honored as MICCAI Fellow and celebrates a landmark year for medical imaging innovation

October 29, 2025

Dr. Marius George Linguraru, a global leader in pediatric imaging and AI, has been named a 2025 MICCAI Fellow for advancing quantitative imaging biomarkers and championing equitable AI in children’s health.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how doctors diagnose, monitor and treat disease. At this year’s conference of the Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI) Society in Daejeon, South Korea, more than 3,300 scientists, engineers and clinicians from around the world gathered to explore that transformation firsthand. Among them was Marius George Linguraru, DPhil, MA, MS, the Connor Family Professor of Research and Innovation at Children’s National Hospital and a global leader in pediatric imaging and AI research, who was officially named a 2025 Fellow of the MICCAI Society.

The fellowship recognizes Dr. Linguraru for his “distinguished contributions to medical image computing, particularly in the development of quantitative imaging biomarkers for pediatric and rare diseases.”

The big picture

The MICCAI Society is the world’s leading organization for medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention. Each year, it recognizes researchers who have shaped the field through scientific excellence, mentorship and community leadership. Dr. Linguraru shares this year’s honor with Carl-Fredrik Westin of Harvard Medical School and Jayashree Kalpathy-Cramer of the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In addition to receiving the fellowship, Dr. Linguraru currently serves as president of the MICCAI Society, helping to guide its global community through a new era of AI-driven discovery.

“The wellbeing of children is a core value of any society, and I believe AI is one of the most powerful tools we have to improve healthcare for all,” said Dr. Linguraru. “I stand firmly as an advocate for equitable imaging and AI, a mentor and a researcher devoted to children’s health. These values are at the heart of the MICCAI Society, my global family pushing the frontiers of science and healthcare.”

The backdrop

At the 2025 MICCAI conference in Daejeon, more than 3,300 participants came together to celebrate science, collaboration and culture. The meeting showcased the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and machine learning for healthcare, including deep-learning approaches to imaging, robotics and clinical decision support.

Dr. Linguraru highlighted the growing momentum toward translating AI methods into clinical practice, as well as new partnerships with the European Society of Radiology and the European Society of Digital and Integrative Pathology that will strengthen the field’s impact.

The society also introduced new awards and grants focused on innovation, health equity and inclusivity, priorities that align closely with Dr. Linguraru’s own career-long mission to bring AI tools to children with rare diseases and limited access to care.

The bottom line

Dr. Linguraru’s installation as a MICCAI Fellow marks a defining moment for both his career and the society he now leads. It celebrates two decades of pioneering research in pediatric imaging and AI, mentorship across continents and a deep belief that technology should serve every child, everywhere.

As the MICCAI community looks ahead to Abu Dhabi in 2026 and Auckland in 2027, Dr. Linguraru’s leadership will help guide the field toward a future where imaging science, artificial intelligence and compassion work hand in hand to advance global health.

Attendees at the 3rd Annual Cell and Gene Therapy Symposium

A regional engine for cell and gene therapy innovation

October 29, 2025

At the 3rd Annual Cell and Gene Therapy Symposium, leaders from research, biotech, and advocacy came together at the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus to accelerate progress for children with rare and life-threatening diseases.

The 3rd Annual Cell and Gene Therapy Symposium gathered leaders in research, biotech, advocacy and policy at the Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus, reinforcing the Mid Atlantic as a rapidly rising hub for curing rare and life-threatening diseases. This event focused not only on scientific discovery, but also on how this region is transforming ideas into real impact for children and families.

Patrick Hanley, PhD, Chief and Director of the Cellular Therapy Program at Children’s National Hospital, opened the program by acknowledging both the excitement and responsibility that come with treating children who urgently need new options.

The first keynote from Sadik Kassim, PhD, Chief Technology Officer at Danaher Corporation, responsible for the development and implementation of research and development strategies for genomic medicines, highlighted how quickly the world of cell and gene therapy is evolving and how essential it is that progress reaches patients in time.

Regional innovation at scale

Early presentations featured experts from institutions including the University of Virginia, Children’s National Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine and area startups. These talks demonstrated real momentum across regenerative medicine, pediatric immunotherapy and translational biotechnology, showing how research teams here focus relentlessly on advancing from concept to clinic. The message was simple. Innovation here does not stop at publication. It continues until those in need feel the impact.

Speakers including Camille Campbell, PharmD, RPh of Bella Peek LLC, Sneha Purvey, MD of VCU Health, and Brett Kopelan, MA of the Debra Foundation described the challenges families face in accessing advanced therapies. They focused on how outcomes for rare disease communities led to multiple drug approvals from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and stressed that equity must evolve alongside innovation. A breakthrough does not matter if a child cannot receive it.

The power of partnership

After lunch, moderator Mike Friedlander, PhD, Executive Director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech, led a panel featuring Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD of Children’s National Hospital, Erica Cischke, MPH of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, Erin Kimbrel, PhD of Astellas Pharma, and Mark Stewart, PhD of Friends of Cancer Research. Their discussion underscored the essential roles of advocacy, regulation and industry alignment in shaping the future of care for children and adults.

A vision for a smarter biotech future

The innovation keynote from Murat Kalayoglu, MD, PhD, Managing Partner of SOAR Bio and co-founder of local biotech company Cartesian Therapeutics which has a CAR T product in a phase 3 trial for an autoimmune disease, offered a direct challenge to the field. He presented a vision where biotechnology companies are built more efficiently and with stronger operational roots to accelerate translation and sustainability. He noted that the Mid Atlantic region is well positioned to lead this approach because of its workforce, institutional partnerships, and growing investment footprint.

Science changing what is possible

The afternoon sessions explored advances that could fundamentally change the treatment landscape for children with complex and rare diseases by using precise treatment modalities.

Fred Wu, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and Radiation Oncologist at Inova, presented focused ultrasound technology designed to temporarily open the blood brain barrier and enable therapeutics to reach tumors including diffuse midline glioma.
Kajal Chaudhry, PhD, of Children’s National Hospital, shared progress in multimodal T cell therapies that combine multiple immune mechanisms to overcome tumor defenses and strengthen responses in high-risk pediatric cancers. This work is a part of a large Cancer Grand Challenges award.
Sarah Nasr, PhD, from the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland, discussed lung inspired RNA delivery strategies that could expand treatment potential for pulmonary disease.
Zachary Zamore, MD Candidate at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, presented targeted gene therapy for nerve disorders to reduce chronic pain and spasticity without invasive neurosurgery.
Chelsea Stamm, PhD, of the Bacteriophage Medical Research Center at Catholic University of America, won the first-place prize for best presentation by an early stage investigator and shared new bacteriophage vector platforms capable of delivering large genetic cargo into stem cells.
Abby Lee, PhD Candidate at the George Washington University Cancer Center, showed research improving immune responses against ovarian cancer through novel T cell expansion strategies.
Emily Powsner, PhD Candidate in Biotherapeutic Development and Delivery at the University of Maryland, demonstrated scalable manufacturing of extracellular vesicles designed to support healing in chronic wounds where current options fall short.

Across each talk, the focus stayed consistent. These therapies are being advanced not for the future, but for children now.

Momentum moving forward

The event closed with remarks from Dr. Hanley, followed by a reception where new partnerships formed and plans for the next studies and trials began taking shape in real time. The optimism was grounded in data. The urgency was grounded in the needs of families.

This region is proving that when researchers, clinicians and advocates align their priorities, the pace of progress can accelerate. The Mid Atlantic is not simply part of the conversation. It is leading the way. Children’s National Hospital and its partners across Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, DC, are demonstrating how to build systems where breakthroughs move faster, reach farther and change more lives.

New NIH grant boosts research team leadership training for biomedical leaders

October 20, 2025

The initiative will train early-career biomedical researchers in leadership, mentorship, and team science to strengthen collaboration and innovation.

Modern biomedical breakthroughs depend on teamwork. From decoding genetic disorders to developing next-generation therapies, success rarely happens in isolation. Yet most research training still focuses on scientific skills, not on the skills needed to build and lead collaborative teams.

To close that gap, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $2.7 million over five years to the Children’s Research Institute at Children’s National Hospital to launch the TEAMS Program — short for “Together Everyone Achieves More in Science.” C0-led by Beth A. Tarini, MD, MS, MBA, co-director of the Center for Health Outcomes Research & Delivery Science, the program will train early-career biomedical researchers to assemble, lead and retain high-performing research teams.

This program blends evidence-based leadership development with real-world collaboration skills. Participants will learn how to build research teams that are not only scientifically rigorous but also cohesive and resilient. The program combines principles from organizational management, mentorship and team science to equip participants to lead effectively in an increasingly complex research environment.

Funded through the NIH’s Innovative Programs to Enhance Research Training (R25) mechanism, the program will train five national cohorts of early-career biomedical researchers. Along with Dr. Tarini, the program will be co-led by Dr. Margaret Ormiston, associate professor, The George Washington University School of Business, and Dr. Nathan A. Smith, associate dean for research mentorship and associate professor of Neuroscience at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, leveraging each institution’s strengths in team science and organizational leadership.

Thevaa Chandereng, PhD, Kelly Christensen, Beth Tarini, MD, Tara Lavelle, PhD, Anne Atkins

Left to right: Thevaa Chandereng, PhD (Assistant Professor of Biostatistics), Kelly Christensen (Data Manager), Beth Tarini, MD, Tara Lavelle, PhD (Assistant Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine), Anne Atkins (Program Manager)

“Science today is a team sport — and so was the creation of this program,” said Dr. Tarini. “The idea grew out of taking Dr. Ormiston’s class on team leadership and wondering how those lessons could be applied to science, while also building on Dr. Smith’s expertise in mentoring the next generation of researchers.”

Dr. Smith added, “This grant will address a critical gap in graduate education: training in lab management and mentorship. By equipping the next generation of scientists with these essential skills, we can revolutionize biomedical research training.”

Strengthening the research workforce requires more than funding projects. It requires investing in people and the environments where discovery happens. By teaching scientists how to lead high-performing teams, the program aims to transform how biomedical research is done.

With NIH support, Children’s National is redefining what leadership in science looks like: collaborative and team driven. “Our goal is to equip researchers with the skills to build the teams that make discovery possible,” said Dr. Tarini. “That’s how we create a more connected, innovative and resilient research community.”

Exploring how maternal depression shapes pediatric asthma care

October 16, 2025

A new Children’s National study shows that maternal depression can make managing childhood asthma more difficult.

Asthma affects more than 4 million children in the United States and remains the most common chronic childhood condition. A new study from Children’s National Hospital highlights an overlooked factor in childhood asthma care: a mother’s mental health. Researchers in the Center for Health Outcomes Research & Delivery Science found that maternal depression can make daily asthma management – like tracking medications or spotting flare-ups – more difficult. Through interviews with 12 mothers whose children receive care at IMPACT DC, Children’s National’s community-based asthma program, the study captures how depression shapes caregiving in their own words.

Why it matters

Asthma management depends on consistent, attentive care. When depression drains a caregiver’s energy or focus, even small lapses can lead to more emergency visits, missed school days and worse health outcomes. In this study, mothers also noticed how their mood affected their children emotionally. When a mother was stressed or withdrawn, her child often felt anxious, sometimes enough to trigger an asthma attack. The connection between mental health and asthma was clear on both sides.

More than half of the mothers had clinically significant depressive symptoms and nearly all had experienced those symptoms for over a year. Four mothers also had asthma themselves and almost every child in the study had uncontrolled asthma, underscoring the complexity of care in these families. Together, these numbers paint a picture of how common and intertwined maternal and child health challenges can be.

The big picture

Many mothers described slipping into what they called “super mom mode”, pushing through depression to care for their kids while ignoring their own needs. Several mothers said the pressure to “stay strong” left them feeling guilty or ashamed when they could not do everything perfectly. Even when mothers received treatment, most found it inconsistent or incomplete. Some were taking antidepressant medication, others attended therapy but many still had moderate or severe symptoms. Limited access, long waits and therapist turnover were common barriers.

Children’s National researchers say these findings reinforce that pediatric health cannot be separated from caregiver wellbeing. Integrating behavioral health into pediatric asthma care could change that. Social workers and behavioral health specialists can help mothers manage depressive symptoms, strengthen coping skills and connect to resources, all within the same clinic visit that treats the child’s asthma.

What’s next

Building on this study, Children’s National is testing a brief, evidence-based depression treatment delivered in the IMPACT DC Asthma Clinic. The new clinical trial uses implementation science to determine how integrated care can improve outcomes for both mothers and children.

“By treating maternal depression alongside asthma, we can address the whole family’s needs,” said Rachel Margolis, PhD, LCSW, social work researcher at Children’s National and senior author of the study. “When mothers receive mental health support, children breathe easier. Integrating behavioral health into community-based asthma programs offers a path toward better control, fewer emergencies and greater equity in care.”

Read the full study, “Exploring Black Mothers’ Lived Experiences of Depression and the Relationship to Their Child’s Asthma: A Qualitative Study” in the Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work.

Children’s National Hospital once again ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report

October 7, 2025

Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the ninth straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll list. The Honor Roll is a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide.

For the fifteenth straight year, Children’s National ranked in 10 specialty services and is the highest U.S. News ranked children’s hospital in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Last year, U.S. News introduced pediatric & adolescent behavioral health as a service line in its rankings. While there are no ordinal rankings for behavioral health, the Children’s National program was named one of the top 50 programs in the country for the second year in a row.

“To be named among the nation’s top children’s hospitals for nine years in a row is a reflection of the extraordinary expertise, innovation and heart that our teams bring to every child and family we serve,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Children’s National. “Our leadership in specialties like neurology, cancer, and diabetes and endocrinology underscores the national impact of our work, and we remain focused on setting new standards in pediatric care.”

The annual rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals and recognizes the nation’s top 50 pediatric hospitals based on a scoring system developed by U.S. News.

“Being a top-ranked pediatric hospital means more than just excelling in a single specialty — it means being a pillar of outstanding care for your entire region,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “Our rankings acknowledge these hospitals for their comprehensive excellence, helping families find the very best care conveniently located within their state and community.”

The bulk of the score for each specialty service is based on quality and outcomes data. The process includes a survey of relevant specialists across the country, who are asked to list hospitals they believe provide the best care for patients with the most complex conditions.

The Children’s National specialty services that U.S. News ranked in the top 10 nationally are:

Neurology and Neurosurgery (No. 4), led by Division Chiefs William D. Gaillard, MD, and Robert F. Keating, MD
Diabetes and Endocrinology (No. 6), led by Division Chief Andrew Dauber, MD, MMSc
Cancer (No. 8), led by Division Chief Eugene Hwang, MD
Nephrology (No. 10), led by Division Chief Marva Moxey-Mims, MD
Orthopedics (No. 10), led by Division Chief Matthew Oetgen, MD, MBA

The other six specialties ranked among the top 50 are Behavioral Health, Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology and GI Surgery, Neonatology, Pulmonology and Lung Surgery, and Urology.

Washington Post Live’s AI & Health panel

In the News: Washington Post Live – Matt MacVey weighs in on AI & Health

September 15, 2025

“We’re in the trust business as care providers. More and more, our role involves deeply understanding our data – because it’s foundational to everything we build from an AI perspective. We’re spending a lot of time making sure we understand the structure, the lineage, and the origins of that data, in a true data governance sense, so we can make the tools work effectively and achieve the outcomes we expect.”

Matt MacVey, MBA, executive vice president and chief information officer, weighed in on how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing medicine with new diagnostic tools, automated processes and predictive analytics.

This conversation was part of Washington Post Live’s AI & Health panel – which brought together prominent leaders in tech and health care to discuss how assistive AI could shape the future of medicine.

Children’s National Hospital at the 2025 American Academy of Pediatrics meeting

September 11, 2025

Children’s National Hospital affiliates will participate in this year’s American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, taking place in Denver, Colorado, from September 26-30. Below is a schedule of sessions led by professionals from Children’s National:

Allison Markowsky, MD, MSHS, FAAP, attending physician and associate chief for Community Hospital Medicine programs
S2433: What’s Trending in the Newborn Nursery: Controversies and Evidence
Saturday, September 27, 2025
5:30-6:30 PM EDT/EST

Dennis Ren, MD, pediatric emergency medicine physician
H0226: Section on Emergency Medicine Program: Day 2
PEM Hot Topic, EmergiQuiz, PEMPix and State of the Section Awards
Saturday, September 27, 2025
10:30 AM-7:30 PM EDT/EST

Natasha Shur, MD, medical geneticist
S2324: Genetic Testing Boot Camp
Saturday, September 27, 2025
4:00-5:00 PM EDT/EST

To view the full schedule along with options to join sessions virtually, please visit the AAP conference website.

Podcast: Cutting Edge: Precision and Progress in Pediatric Surgery

August 28, 2025

Children’s National Hospital receives Magnet redesignation

August 26, 2025

For the fourth time, Children’s National Hospital has been designated as a Magnet^® hospital by the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program^®. This designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, is given to hospitals that demonstrate the highest standards of nursing excellence and patient care.

“Our nurses at Children’s National continue to set the highest standards in care and compassion,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Children’s National. “Magnet recognition is the highest national honor for nursing excellence, and very few hospitals in the country have achieved it four times. I’m proud of the nursing leadership, teamwork and dedication that made this possible.”

Hospitals that achieve Magnet Recognition^® have demonstrated lower patient mortality, fewer medical complications, improved patient and employee safety and higher patient and staff satisfaction. Magnet-recognized hospitals have some of the most advanced nursing practices in health care. Less than 10% of hospitals across the country have achieved Magnet status.

“At the core of this achievement are our Children’s National nurses. Their dedication, expertise, and compassion bring our mission, vision and core values to life,” said Linda Talley, MS, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Children’s National. “Our nurses not only excel in caring for patients and families, but also lead in professional practice, drive evidence-based change, and contribute to the creation and advancement of new knowledge that strengthens the nursing profession and transforms care.”

Nurses at Children’s National actively work with patient families to help them make informed decisions about their health care options. Through various leadership councils, Children’s National nurses create solutions from shared decision-making, and integrate them into the individualized care delivered each day in units and across the continuum of care.

The ANCC Magnet Recognition Program^® seeks to advance quality in an environment that 1) supports professional nursing practices, 2) disseminates nursing best practices and 3) promotes positive patient outcomes. Children’s National previously received Magnet^® designation from the ANCC in 2010, 2015 and 2020.

Honor bestowed on Kavita Parikh, MD, MSHS

August 25, 2025

“I am honored to step into this role, driven by a vision that every child can thrive when hospitals and communities work hand-in-hand,” Dr. Parikh says.

Children’s National Hospital named Kavita Parikh, MD, MSHS, the Wendy Goldberg Professor of Translational Research in Child Health and Community Partnerships.

Dr. Parikh serves as the research director of the Division of Hospital Medicine and medical director of Quality and Safety Research at Children’s National. She is an investigator in the Center for Translational Research within the Children’s National Research Institute and a Professor of Pediatrics with tenure at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The big picture

Dr. Parikh joins a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair. Children’s National is grateful to generous donors who have funded 51 professorships.

Professorships support groundbreaking work on behalf of children and their families and foster discoveries and innovations in pediatric medicine. These appointments carry prestige and honor that reflect the recipient’s achievements and the donor’s commitment to advancing and sustaining knowledge.

Why it matters

As a pediatric hospital medicine attending, Dr. Parikh cares for some of the most high-risk and vulnerable children. She has a firsthand view of the barriers families face, uniquely positioning her to recognize the urgent need for improved care access beyond the hospital. Dr. Parikh also values collaboration with other community organizations to develop sustainable solutions to support families outside the hospital.

“I am honored to step into this role, driven by a vision that every child can thrive when hospitals and communities work hand-in-hand,” Dr. Parikh says. “By connecting families and community partners, our hospital system can transform Hospital to Home care into a bridge for better health and brighter futures. I look forward to building strong teams and leading work that turns data into action and partnerships into progress. By strengthening the Hospital to Home journey, we can close gaps, lift barriers and create healthier futures for children.”

Moving the field forward

Wendy and Fred Goldberg, through their vision and generosity, are ensuring that Dr. Parikh and future holders of the Wendy Goldberg Professorship in Translational Research in Child Health and Community Partnerships align around a shared goal: strengthening the health and well-being of children by building data-informed, deeply collaborative partnerships that extend beyond the walls of the hospital. The Professorship will enable bold, new initiatives to elevate community engagement to avoid hospitalization and, where necessary, make the Hospital-to-Home transition easier and more effective for the many children whose conditions are exacerbated by living in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Through strategic partnerships that address the needs of these communities, Dr. Parikh and her team will help bolster the health and well-being of children.

Wendy and Fred have a long philanthropic and volunteer leadership history at Children’s National. Fred served on the Children’s National Board and as chair of the Legal Affairs and Audit Committee. Wendy served on the Children’s National Board as well as the Safe Kids Worldwide Board, the HSC Board, the HSCSN Board, the Children’s School Services Board, Board of Visitors and the Children’s National Hospital Foundation Board. She also chaired the Children’s National Advocacy and Public Policy Board for many years. The Goldbergs share a particular interest in connecting community initiatives to hospital innovations.

“There are so many children and families who are living with serious chronic conditions, like asthma and diabetes, for example,” Wendy and Fred state. “Lack of access to quality food, unhealthy physical environments and even a parent’s mental health, can worsen these conditions and cause kids to miss school and make frequent emergency room visits. That’s why translational research and forging strong community alliances are necessary. Together, they help physician-scientists find real-world solutions to these public health challenges. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Kavita Parikh to this vital role!”