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.
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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.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Gene-conference-feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-10-29 15:44:172025-10-29 15:46:58A regional engine for cell and gene therapy innovation
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.
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.”
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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.
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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:
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“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.
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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.
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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.
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“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!”
Children’s National launches the first system-wide asthma social needs screening program, asking families directly about the support they need most.
Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions in children. While medications and inhalers are essential, many families face challenges that make managing asthma even harder. Problems like housing instability, lack of transportation or difficulty paying for medications can all affect a child’s ability to stay healthy and avoid emergency visits.
A new study from Children’s National Hospital is transforming the way hospitals think about asthma care. Led by Rachel Margolis, PhD, LICSW, the project introduced the first health system-wide screening program focused specifically on the social needs of children with asthma. Unlike traditional social risk screenings that rely on general checklists, this new approach centers on what families say they need most.
The team created a “social needs checklist” to ask families directly what they need help with, rather than just identifying potential risks. This might sound like a small change, but it represents a major shift in how hospitals support families. By putting family voices at the center of care, the program empowers parents and caregivers to share their priorities and receive help that is most meaningful to them.
To test this new tool, the team expanded screening into three key areas at Children’s National: the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), the severe asthma clinic and the emergency department at United Medical Center. These are places where children with the most severe asthma symptoms often go for care. The study set out to understand how screening could work in each setting, whether families and staff would accept it and what kinds of social needs families would report.
The results were eye opening. Families across all settings were open to sharing their needs and felt comfortable discussing them with care teams. In the PICU, the program was especially successful because of strong support from leadership and dedicated staff who helped keep the screening process running smoothly. Perhaps most important, the study found that 42.3% of families requested help with at least one social need. This high level of need highlights just how many families are facing serious challenges with potential impacts on a child’s asthma and overall health.
Social factors play a powerful role in asthma management. Where a child lives, whether a family can afford medications and how easily they can get to follow-up appointments can all affect whether asthma stays under control or turns into an emergency. By focusing on what families identify as their top needs, hospitals can connect them to the right community resources, improve asthma outcomes and help keep children healthier at home.
Children’s National is leading the way with this asthma-specific, system-wide approach to social needs screening. This program sets a new standard by listening directly to families and acting on their priorities. The interdisciplinary Asthma Social Support and Intervention Screen Tool (ASSIST) workgroup that launched this study continues to meet regularly, working on ways to improve and expand the program even further. Their efforts include strengthening partnerships with community organizations and finding new ways to support families beyond the hospital walls.
Looking ahead, the team hopes this model will inspire other hospitals to adopt similar strategies for asthma and other chronic conditions. By putting families at the center and addressing social needs as part of medical care, hospitals can help more children breathe easier and live healthier, more stable lives.
Read the full study, “A Health System-Wide Approach to Addressing Unmet Social Needs Among Children With Asthma”, in the American Academy of Pediatrics publication, Hospital Pediatrics.
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Children’s National Hospital’s Family Lifestyle Program (FLiP) fights food insecurity by combining fresh produce deliveries, nutrition education, and medical support to help families build healthy habits.
Food insecurity is rising in Washington, D.C. and it’s hitting families with children the hardest. Not only is food insecurity a harmful chronic stressor, it is also a prevalent social driver that elevates the risk of numerous physical and mental health conditions. 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.
FLiP’s mission is simple: to become a hospital-wide resource for families struggling with food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease. By working collaboratively with clinicians, dietitians, social workers and medical students, FLiP provides both food and education, the building blocks of lifelong health.
Here’s how it currently works: during check-ups at Children’s National primary care clinics, families are screened for food insecurity. If a family says they’re having trouble affording or accessing healthy food, they are referred to a Patient Navigator, a trained medical student volunteer who helps connect them to resources, such as emergency food, federal and community nutrition programs and safety-net food resources, as well as enroll those interested in the FLiPRx program.
Working at the intersection of food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease risk, FLiPRx provides two key things: fresh produce and nutrition and culinary education. Over six months, families receive weekly produce deliveries to their homes – supplied by 4P Foods, a local food provider that sources fresh, high-quality, delicious food across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia – and attend monthly virtual cooking and nutrition classes. The goal is not just to put more fruits and vegetables on the table, but to help families learn how to use them in a healthy, affordable way. In addition to providing nutritious food, the program also offers chronic disease monitoring and management by a clinician, ensuring that families receive comprehensive, whole-person care.
The expansion of this program would not be possible without the generous funding of The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. Their recent investment supports the expansion of the program, which is ripe for growth, to help more families who receive care at various local primary care centers and across the broader Children’s National network, as well as to add meaningful enhancements to ensure the program’s ongoing success. “Programs like FLiP reflect the deep connection between health, community, and opportunity,” said Mieka Wick, CEO, at The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. “We’re proud to support efforts that ensure every child, and their caregivers, have access to nutritious food and information that supports a healthier lifestyle for multiple generations.”
This model is already working. Families in the program say they eat more fruits and vegetables, feel better, and even see improvements in their children’s health. One mother of four said, “FLiPRx was an excellent experience that helped us navigate dinnertime. It helped us broaden our horizons in terms of our taste buds. Now we’re more willing to taste this and try that.”
Increased variety and quantity of fruits and vegetables
“Healthy food is foundational to child health,” said Qadira Ali, MD, MPH at Children’s National. “By combining fresh produce with culturally relevant education and medical care, FLiP helps us address chronic disease in a more holistic, family-centered way.”
Over the next three years, FLiP will expand beyond primary care into specialty clinics at Children’s National, enrolling hundreds more families, including Spanish-speaking ones. This ongoing momentum will bring FLiP one step closer to becoming the gold-standard institutional resource for addressing food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease among children and families served by Children’s National Hospital.
The long-term goal? To be a dynamic, evidence-based Food Is Medicine model for pediatric healthcare institutions nationwide. With the right support, FLiP can help show that food is not just medicine — it’s fundamental to growing the next generation of healthy children.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/food-CNRI.jpg385685Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-07-16 12:38:132025-07-16 12:39:25Fighting food insecurity with fresh produce and education
Child Life Specialist Lanie Berk reads to Jack in the Children’s National Family Resource Center.
Imagine a kaleidoscope of play, education and creative therapies that engage patients and their families to promote healing and decrease pain, fear, trauma and grief. These programs, backed by science, create nurturing environments and experiences that reduce the need for pain medication, shorten hospital stays and improve health outcomes. They allow Children’s National Hospital to care for the whole child — body, mind and spirit.
“Our dedicated Child Life and Integrative Care Services team plays a critical role in supporting families through their medical journeys,” says Director BobbiJo Pansier, MPH, CCLS, CTRS. “Our programs offer opportunities for growth, expression and healing that complement traditional treatments. These interventions bring understanding, comfort and laughter and are life-changing.”
“I see the impact of this care every day,” says Pansier. “Not long ago, a patient who had spent her entire life at Children’s National graduated to another facility. She had never been in a vehicle or experienced the world outside our main campus. Multiple teams came together to ensure her transition would be free of trauma. Her medical care providers, along with a music therapist and Child Life specialists, assisted the transport team. Our team made introductions to staff at the new facility. The patient waved goodbye with a smile.”
Healing Jack’s heart and his family
Jack after his heart transplant surgery.
Nine-month-old Jack, awaiting a heart transplant, was in too much pain to sleep. His heart condition had caused serious, painful gastrointestinal problems. His mom, Rachel, had been up all night trying to soothe him.
Lanie Berk, MS, CCLS, a certified Child Life specialist, offered a familiar, friendly face. She held Jack close. She sang to him and read his favorite books.
“There are so many negative touch experiences in a hospital — needles, countless procedures and tubes hooked up to a child,” says Berk. “It’s so important to give positive stimuli in the form of touch that nurtures and heals.”
Jack fell asleep in Berk’s arms, giving Rachel a much-needed break. “It’s a privilege to be part of their story,” says Berk, who Rachel reports is pretty much her son’s favorite person in the hospital. “For a mom to trust me to hold her baby so she can leave for a little while is a huge honor.”
Spending nearly a year in the hospital
Jack was in heart failure when he arrived at Children’s National by emergency helicopter transport in February 2024. He was 4 months old. Our cardiologists diagnosed him with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes the heart’s chambers to thin, stretch and weaken. On Valentine’s Day, Jack’s family learned he would need a heart transplant to survive. “We were shocked and overwhelmed,” Rachel says. She and her husband Brandon began alternating care for their baby in the hospital and their 2-year-old son Nolan at home.
In April, surgeons installed a ventricular assist device to help Jack’s body pump blood while he waited for an organ donor. But there were complications. His stomach swelled, and he had two strokes. “We quickly learned that Children’s National is an exceptional place with exceptional people,” Rachel says. “There were moments when we fully wanted to panic. Instead, we learned to breathe deeply and trust the care and our team.”
That trust and human connection, along with clear, thorough communication, helped make the hard times easier, Rachel says. Throughout the family’s long stay in the hospital, they received healing support from members of our Child Life and Integrative Care Services team.
The team created a custom book for Nolan, to help explain his baby brother Jack’s condition.
Making the journey easier
The team created a custom book for Nolan, to help explain his baby brother Jack’s condition
Berk kept the mood light during Jack’s medical procedures — for instance, his first round of vaccines. That day, she played music, sang and danced to keep him smiling. Knowing that socializing could help Jack’s parents feel more comfortable and at home, Berk started a monthly dinner tradition in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU) waiting room to help families connect.
She also helped Jack’s parents explain the situation to his brother, Nolan. She created books for Rachel and Brandon to read with him at home. The first one explained Jack’s illness and why he needed a new heart. The second prepared Nolan for a trip to the hospital after his brother’s transplant and included details about the devices supporting Jack and his scar. These books helped Nolan understand and feel a part of the journey.
Finding positive ways to pass the time
“This experience makes you feel isolated in so many ways,” Rachel says. The Panda Cares Center of Hope, our Family Resource Center, provided a place for her to relax and connect with parents facing similar challenges. “Reading was the perfect way to distract myself while Jack was sleeping or having a procedure.”
Rachel inspired Berk and Allie Slocum, our patient family library and resource center coordinator, to start a monthly caregiver reading group for Cardiac ICU families. “The group has three important functions,” Berk says. “It encourages parents to be involved with their child’s care, enables them to meet each other, and it helps families connect with their babies through reading, which is great for a baby’s development.”
Creating art
Jack’s parents enjoyed a parent support group with art therapist Katherine Pedrick. Brandon made paper cherry blossom branches, and Rachel made a vase. They painted comfort boxes filled with words of encouragement. Art therapy gave them an outlet within the hospital and helped them connect with other families in the Cardiac ICU. “It’s comforting to know you’re not alone and there are others who understand what you’re going through and will listen and offer guidance,” Brandon says.
Appreciating volunteers
Music therapy activities, such as playing with a quacking toy duck and a baby rattle, helped delight and stimulate Jack while he was in the hospital.
Children’s National volunteers read to baby Jack on a regular basis. “One particular volunteer came often and really connected with him,” Rachel says. “By the end of her visits, he would be asleep in her arms. The volunteer visits allowed me to take a walk or get something to eat. It meant a lot.” Other volunteers visited Jack to play with developmentally appropriate toys and games.
Engaging in special events and activities
Rachel enjoyed events at Seacrest Studios, especially in-person appearances by American singer-songwriters Andy Grammer and Phillip Phillips.
The Bunny Mellon Healing Garden served as an oasis Jack’s parents visited often, including with Jack, to breathe fresh air, read, walk and enjoy a change of scenery. “Sunlight can do wonders,” Brandon says. “On the night before Jack’s heart transplant, we sat outside enjoying a perfect summer night underneath a star-filled sky. It was calm and peaceful and just what we needed.”
Rachel says her son always had a great smile; but at the start of his hospitalization, it was subtle, and sometimes he could lift only one cheek. One week post-transplant, Jack’s smile was even. Now, his mom reports that he has a roaring belly laugh. This summer, he is working to sit up and enjoys stroller rides.
“Our team at the hospital taught me to be a little more spontaneous and celebrate the good moments,” Rachel says. “I’m more likely to go outside and play with the boys now, even if there are chores to do. I’m more about thriving in the moment. Children’s National gave Jack the ability to live a life. We’re here to enjoy every minute of it.”
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jack-and-Berk-Feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-07-02 13:58:092025-07-02 14:03:55Caring for the whole child: Child Life and Integrative Care Services at Children’s National
Children’s National Hospital announced that it will be partnering with Epic, the nation’s leading electronic health record (EHR) provider, on a comprehensive transition to a new integrated health record system. The full implementation of Epic’s platform, planned to be completed in mid-2027, will better enable the delivery of patient-centered and coordinated care.
“Moving to Epic is an important step forward in Children’s National’s journey to becoming a truly integrated healthcare delivery system,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Children’s National. “It will enhance the tools available to patients and their families to access and monitor their care and improve how we share information across teams in order to deliver more connected, compassionate and convenient health services.”
Patient families will benefit from access to Epic’s MyChart app, a comprehensive patient portal and mobile app that has all a child’s health information in one place, even if care was received at multiple healthcare organizations. Through MyChart, families will be able to securely and seamlessly view medical records, manage appointments, review billing information, communicate with care teams and access telehealth services such as video visits and remote patient monitoring. Today, over 195 million people use MyChart, including families and caregivers for over 2 million patients aged 2 or under. Epic organizations securely exchange over 24 million patient records with other hospitals and health systems every day.
Epic’s robust system will also improve collaboration and continuity of care for providers throughout the Children’s National health system. The platform also includes advanced clinical decision support tools, helping clinicians make informed, timely decisions that enhance patient safety.
“After evaluating various options to modernize our care delivery systems, we are excited to embark on a comprehensive transformation journey with Epic,” stated Matt MacVey, MBA, MS, FACHE, executive vice president and chief digital and information officer at Children’s National. “The two-year effort aims to improve access to critical clinical information, automate routine workflows and create a seamless digital experience that empowers families throughout their care journey.”
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/epic_contract_Feature.jpg300400Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-06-24 11:42:082025-06-24 11:45:26Children’s National selects Epic as partner for electronic health record modernization
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Article_Image_400x300_Bollard-Permar.jpg12501667Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-06-24 10:00:042025-07-08 15:18:21Podcast: Mission Critical: The Importance of Pediatric Research
In a new review article published in The CRISPR Journal, researchers from Children’s National Hospital discuss the progress of gene therapies for sickle cell disease – from preclinical studies to clinical trials and FDA approval – along with the many challenges of these treatments.
Over the past few years, the advances of gene therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD) offer a potential cure for a condition previously managed only through symptom relief and limited treatments. SCD is a hereditary blood disorder caused by a mutation in the beta globin gene leading to painful symptoms and complications.
In a new review article published in The CRISPR Journal, researchers from Children’s National Hospital discuss the progress of gene therapies for SCD – from preclinical studies to clinical trials and FDA approval – along with the many challenges of these treatments.
“We are hoping to bring attention to the past, present and future of this topic,” says Henna Butt, MD, pediatric hematology oncology fellow at Children’s National and one of the review authors. “It is exciting to see the technology move forward and see how far we have come in a disease where so little progress has been made historically.”
The hold up in the field
Gene therapy for SCD remains a time- and resource-intensive process, often taking several months from the initial patient consultation to treatment.
“Progress in SCD gene therapy has been slowed by high costs, limited accessibility and safety concerns, such as off-target effects,” says Dr. Butt. “Additionally, long-term efficacy data is still needed to confirm the durability of these treatments. Regulatory hurdles and ethical considerations also contribute to the delays.”
Moving the field forward
“By using cutting-edge techniques like CRISPR and base editing to directly correct the genetic mutation responsible for SCD, these therapies have the potential to offer long-term or even permanent relief,” says Dr. Butt. “Success in this area could revolutionize treatment options, improve patient outcomes and reduce the global burden of SCD — especially as therapies become more accessible and affordable.”
“Advancing gene therapy for sickle cell disease requires not just scientific innovation, but also the clinical expertise and systems to deliver it safely and effectively,” says David Jacobsohn, MD, SCM, MBAD, chief of Bone and Marrow Transplantation at Children’s National. “As access expands, we must ensure these therapies reach the patients who need them most.”
The patient benefit
Gene therapy offers a potential cure for SCD, reducing the need for ongoing treatments and significantly improving quality of life. It can lower the risk of complications and infections, and over time, reduce healthcare costs – especially for patients with limited access to traditional care. Raising awareness of current challenges can help drive advocacy for affordability and access.
Children’s National leads the way
Children’s National was the first hospital in the world to collect stem cells for the LYFGENIA™ treatment and one of the few pediatric hospitals in the country that offers both FDA-approved sickle cell disease gene therapies – CASGEVY™ (exagamglogene autotemcel) and LYFGENIA™ (lovotibeglogene autotemcel).
A new international study led by Children’s National Hospital and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago introduces a validated tool to predict pneumonia severity in children, helping emergency clinicians make faster, evidence-based decisions about hospitalization and intensive care.
Pneumonia is one of the most common infections in children. In the U.S., it’s a leading reason why kids are admitted to the hospital. But for emergency doctors, it’s not always easy to know which cases are serious — and which children will get better at home.
Now, a new study led by doctors at Children’s National Hospital and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago has created a tool to help. It’s based on research from over 2,200 children treated at emergency departments in 14 countries.
The tool is simple: it uses symptoms that doctors already look for — like how fast a child is breathing, whether they’re getting enough oxygen, and if they’re drinking fluids — to score how serious their pneumonia might be. The score helps doctors decide whether a child needs to stay in the hospital, go to intensive care or can safely recover at home.
What the study found
The research team looked at children ages 3 months to 13 years who came to emergency departments with community-acquired pneumonia — a kind of pneumonia picked up outside of a hospital. Most had mild cases. But about 1 in 20 developed severe symptoms, like needing breathing support or admission to intensive care.
The team found that certain symptoms (like fast breathing or heart rate, chest retractions (a sign of struggling to breathe), low oxygen levels, refusing to drink and already being on antibiotics before coming to the hospital) were linked to a higher risk of serious illness. On the other hand, children who had a runny nose or congestion were more likely to have mild illness.
Using this data, the team created a point-based score. For example, if a child had low oxygen levels, they’d get 3 to 6 points depending on how low it was. Chest retractions added 3 points. Having a runny nose subtracted a point. The higher the total score, the greater the risk of moderate or severe pneumonia.
How it helps
The model was tested and found to be highly accurate. It performed better than doctors’ judgment alone in earlier studies — especially in spotting the children most at risk. The scorecard gives emergency doctors a fast, evidence-based way to support the decisions they make under pressure.
“Emergency departments around the world see thousands of children with pneumonia every day, but until now, we haven’t had a reliable way to predict who’s truly at risk of getting sicker,” said co-PI and senior author Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH, executive vice president, chief academic officer and director of the Children’s National Research Institute. “This model gives clinicians a practical tool, rooted in data, to guide that decision and ultimately improve care and outcomes.”
What’s next
While the tool is ready to be used in hospitals now, the team plans to test it in more locations and study how it affects real-world decisions. They also hope to add biomarkers — lab tests that could improve the score’s accuracy even more.
For now, the study offers something simple and powerful: a better way to know when a child’s pneumonia might become serious — and when it won’t.
The study was published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health and is part of a larger effort by the Pediatric Emergency Research Network (PERN), which connects emergency departments in dozens of countries.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/boy-with-breathing-apparatus-CNRI.jpg385685Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-05-15 11:22:392025-05-15 15:49:28New tool helps doctors know when kids with pneumonia need hospital care
Children’s National Hospital hosted its fifteenth annual Research, Education and Innovation Week from March 31–April 4, 2025, bringing together clinicians, scientists, educators and innovators from across the institution to celebrate discovery and collaboration. This year’s theme, “Empowering the Future in Pediatric Research and Innovation with Equity, Technology and a Global Reach,” served as a call to action for advancing science that improves child health both locally and around the world.
Each day of the week-long event featured thought-provoking lectures — now available to watch — dynamic panel discussions, interactive workshops and vibrant poster sessions, all highlighting the diverse and interdisciplinary work taking place across Children’s National.
Centering the patient and the planet
REI Week began on Monday with a powerful keynote lecture from Lynn R. Goldman, MD, MS, MPH, Michael and Lori Milken dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University. In her talk, “Children: Uniquely vulnerable to climate-related threats,” Dr. Goldman underscored the urgent need to protect children from the environmental hazards of a changing climate and to integrate climate science into pediatric care and advocacy.
At mid-morning, Mary-Anne “Annie” Hartley, MD, PhD, MPH, director of the LiGHT Laboratory at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, introduced the “MOOVE” platform — Massive Open Online Validation and Evaluation of clinical LLMs. Her talk demonstrated how artificial intelligence, when rigorously validated, has the potential to transform clinical decision-making and global health equity.
Monday’s final keynote, “Zinc and childhood diarrhea,” was presented by Christopher Duggan, MD, MPH, director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Duggan highlighted the global health impact of zinc supplementation in reducing childhood mortality — a reminder that simple, evidence-based interventions can save millions of lives.
In that first day, the first poster session of the week showcased projects in adolescent medicine, global health, infectious diseases, oncology and more. The session reflected the full breadth of research taking place across Children’s National.
Ambroise Wonkam, MD, PhD, professor of genetic medicine at Johns Hopkins University, then delivered Tuesday’s Global Health Keynote Lecture, “Harnessing our common African genomes to improve health and equity globally.” His work affirmed that inclusive genomics is key to building a healthier world.
Later, the Global Health Initiative event and GCAF Faculty Seminar encouraged attendees to pursue collaborative opportunities at home and abroad, reflecting the growing global footprint of Children’s National research programs.
Transforming education and care delivery
On Wednesday, Larrie Greenberg, MD, professor emeritus of pediatrics, kicked off the day with a Grand Rounds keynote on educational transformation: “Shouldn’t teachers be more collaborative with their learners?” He followed with a CAPE workshop exploring the effectiveness of case-based learning.
In the Jill Joseph Grand Rounds Lecture, Deena J. Chisolm, PhD, director of the Center for Child Health Equity at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, challenged attendees to move beyond dialogue into action in her talk, “Health equity: A scream to a whisper?,” reminding researchers and clinicians that advocacy and equity must be foundational to care.
The day continued with a poster session spotlighting medical education, neonatology, urology and neuroscience, among other fields.
Posters and pathways to progress
Throughout the week, poster sessions highlighted cutting-edge work across dozens of pediatric disciplines. These sessions gave attendees the opportunity to engage directly with investigators and reflect on the shared mission of discovery across multiple disciplines, including:
The REI Week 2025 Awards Ceremony celebrated outstanding contributions in research, mentorship, education and innovation. The winners in each category were:
POSTER SESSION AWARDS
Basic & Translational Research
Faculty: Benjamin Liu, PhD
“Genetic Conservation and Diversity of SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Gene Across Variants of Concern”
Faculty: Steve Hui, PhD
“Brain Metabolites in Neonates of Mothers with COVID-19 Infection During Pregnancy”
Faculty: Raj Shekhar, PhD
“StrepApp: Deep Learning-Based Identification of Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Pharyngitis”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Dae-young Kim, PhD
“mhGPT: A Lightweight Domain-Specific Language Model for Mental Health Analysis”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Leandros Boukas, MD, PhD
“De Novo Variant Identification From Duo Long-Read Sequencing: Improving Equitable Variant Interpretation for Diverse Family Structures”
Staff: Naseem Maghzian
“Adoptive T Lymphocyte Administration for Chronic Norovirus Treatment in Immunocompromised Hosts (ATLANTIC)”
Graduate Students: Abigail Haffey
“Synergistic Integration of TCR and CAR T Cell Platforms for Enhanced Adoptive Immunotherapy in Brain Tumors”
High School/Undergraduate Students: Medha Pappula
“An ADHD Diagnostic Interface Based on EEG Spectrograms and Deep Learning Techniques”
Clinical Research
Faculty: Folasade Ogunlesi, MD
“Poor Air Quality in Sub-Saharan Africa is Associated with Increase Health Care Utilization for Pain in Sickle Cell Disease Patients”
Faculty: Ayman Saleh, MD
“Growth Parameters and Treatment Approaches in Pediatric ADHD: Examining Differences Across Race”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Nicholas Dimenstein, MD, MPH
“Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Eligibility in the Pediatric Emergency Department”
Staff: Tayla Smith, MPH
“The Public Health Impact of State-Level Abortion and Firearm Laws on Health Outcomes”
Graduate Students: Natalie Ewing
“Patterns of Bacteriuria and Antimicrobial Resistance in Patients Presenting for Primary Cloacal Repair: Is Assisted Bladder Emptying Associated with Bacteriuria?”
Graduate Students: Manuela Iglesias, MS
“Exploring the Relationship Between Child Opportunity Index and Bayley-III Scores in Young Children”
High School/Undergraduate Students: Nicholas Lohman
“Preliminary Findings: The Efficacy, Feasibility and Acceptability of Group Videoconference Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention for Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Among Children and Young People”
Community-Based Research
Faculty: Sharon Shih, PhD “Assessing Pediatric Behavioral Health Access in DC using Secret Shopper Methodology”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Georgios Sanidas, MD “Arrested Neuronal Maturation and Development in the Cerebellum of Preterm Infants”
Staff: Sanam Parwani
“Intersectionality of Gender and Sexuality Diversity in Autistic and Non-Autistic Individuals”
Graduate Student: Margaret Dearey “Assessing the Burden of Period Poverty for Youth and Adolescents in Washington, DC: A Pilot Study”
Quality and Performance Improvement
Faculty: Nichole L. McCollum, MD
“A Quality Improvement Study to Increase Nurse Initiated Care from Triage and Improve Timeliness to Care”
Post docs/Fellows/Residents: Hannah Rodriguez, MD
“Reducing Unnecessary Antibiotic Use in a Level IV NICU”
Staff: Amber K. Shojaie, OTD, OTR/L
“Implementing Dynamic Axilla Splints in a Large Burn Patient”
Meleah Boyle, PhD, MPH
“Understanding and Addressing Environmental Sustainability to Protect the Health of the Children’s National and Global Communities”
Eiman Abdulrahman, MD
“Research Capacity Building to Improve Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care in Ethiopia”
Pilot Awards
Alexander Andrews, MD
“EEG as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker in Severe Pediatric Malaria, Blantyre Malawi”
Daniel Donoho, MD & Timothy Singer, MD
“Feasibility Study of a Novel Artificial Intelligence-Based Educational Platform to Improve Neurosurgical Operative Skills in Tanzania”
Hasan Syed, MD
“Bridging the Gap an Educational Needs Assessment for Pediatric Neurosurgery Training in Pakistan”
Sofia Perazzo, MD & Lamia Soghier, MD, MEd, MBA
“QI Mentorship to Improve Pediatric Screening and Follow-up in Rural Argentina”
Benjamin Liu, PhD
“AI-Empowered Real-Time Sequencing Assay for Rapid Detection of Schistosomiasis in Senegal”
Rae Mittal, MD
“Assessment and Enhancement of Proficiency in Emergency Child Neurology Topics for Post-Graduate Emergency Medicine Trainees in India”
Innovation Day ignites bold thinking
Thursday, REI Week shifted to the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus for Innovation Day, a celebration of how bold ideas and collaborative culture can accelerate progress in pediatric medicine.
REI Week 2025 reaffirmed the values that define Children’s National: a commitment to excellence, collaboration and equity in pediatric research and care. As discoveries continue to emerge from our hospital and our research campuses, the connections built and ideas sparked during this week will help shape the future of pediatric health — locally and globally.
By elevating voices from the bedside to the bench, with the support of the executive sponsors Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MBChB, Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, Kerstin Hildebrandt, MSHS, Linda Talley, MS, RN, NE-BC and David Wessel, MD, REI Week demonstrated that we must embrace the community in all aspects of our work. Because we know that there are answers we can only get from the patients that we serve—and we need to be their voice.
Research, Education & Innovation Week will be back next year on April 13-17, 2026.
Posters at the REI Week 2025 Monday, March 31 poster session.
Panelists discuss innovation during REI Week 2025.
Global Health Initiative community engagement event during REI Week 2025.
Chris Rees presents his REI Week 2025 lecture.
Nathan Kuppermann listens to a presenter during the REI Week 2025 Tuesday, April 1, poster session.
Michelle Riley-Brown, Nathan Kuppermann, Catherine Bollard and Naomi Luban on stage during the REI Week 2025 awards ceremony.
Brandy Salmon presents on innovation programs at Virginia Tech during the REI Week 2025 Innovation Day.
Catherine Bollard listens to a presenter during the REI Week 2025 Monday, March 21 poster session.
Ambroise Wonkman poses for a picture with Children’s National staff.
Tanzeem Choudhury presenting during REI Week 2025.
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A new study out of the Center for Prenatal, Neonatal & Maternal Health Research, directed by Catherine Limperopoulos, PhD, led by Yao Wu, PhD and Stephanie Merhar, MD, MS, out of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, sought answers to the question: “Do brain volumes differ in opioid-exposed vs. unexposed newborns?” In one of the largest studies of this kind, researchers found that prenatal exposure to opioids is associated with smaller brain volumes in newborns. These findings from the landmark Outcomes of Babies with Opioid Exposure (OBOE) study build on, reinforce smaller studies, and achieve a better understanding of the impacts of prenatal opioid exposure (POE).
Dive Deeper
The Advancing Clinical Trials in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal (ACT-NOW)’s OBOE study is a multi-site observational study of newborns with prenatal opioid exposure and a control group of unexposed newborns from four different sites in the United States – Case Western Reserve University, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
In a study involving 173 newborns who were exposed to opioids during pregnancy and 96 newborns not exposed to opioids prenatally showed smaller brain sizes in several key areas. Specifically, these exposed babies had smaller total brain volumes, as shown through MRI, as well as reduced volumes in important parts of the brain, including the cortex (outer layer of the brain), deep gray matter (areas that control movement and emotions), white matter (which helps transmit signals in the brain), cerebellum (responsible for coordination and movement), brainstem (controls basic functions like breathing), and the amygdala (involved in emotions and memory).
Further details showed that newborns exposed to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during pregnancy with methadone, had smaller white matter volumes, while those exposed to MOUD with buprenorphine had smaller volumes specifically in the right amygdala. Additionally, newborns who were exposed to opioids plus additional substances such as THC and gabapentin had smaller volumes in even more brain areas compared to those who were only exposed to opioids.
What’s Next
The OBOE study sets the groundwork for further research into the long-term impact of opioid exposure during pregnancy. Additional work is necessary to expand on these findings and how they relate to functions in childhood – including exploring the way these reduced brain volumes may impact cognitive, behavioral, and motor impairments. The study raises important questions about how current guidelines for MOUD during pregnancy – specifically with methadone and buprenorphine – might evolve considering these findings. This study highlights the need for further research to assess the long-term effects of MOUD regimens on both maternal and infant outcomes.
This significant study underscores the importance of multi-disciplinary collaboration in opioid exposure research, effective regulation, and policy interventions – involving healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, and affected families – to best mitigate the consequences and improve the health outcomes of children affected by prenatal opioid exposure.
Additional authors from Children’s National include Kushal Kapse, BS, MS, and Josepheen De Asis-Cruz, MD, PhD. Other authors include Carla M. Bann, PhD, Jamie E. Newman, PhD4, Nicole Mack, MS, Sara B. De Mauro, MD, MSCE, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, MD, Jonathan M. Davis, MD, Scott A. Lorch, MD, MSCE5, Deanne Wilson-Costello, MD, Brenda B. Poindexter, MD and Myriam Peralta-Carcelen, MD.
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/prenatal-opiod-exposure-CNRI-feature.jpg385685Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-04-15 15:08:582025-04-15 15:08:58New study finds prenatal opioid exposure linked to smaller newborn brain volumes
https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Article_Image_400x300_Linguraru.jpg12501667Innovation Districthttps://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/InnovationDistrict_CN_WebHeader-1396px-1030x151.pngInnovation District2025-04-14 11:05:362025-05-09 16:10:59Podcast: Future ready: AI’s role in revolutionizing pediatric care
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.
Children’s National Hospital affiliates will participate in this year’s 
Children’s National Hospital announced that it will be partnering with Epic, the nation’s leading electronic health record (EHR) provider, on a comprehensive transition to a new integrated health record system. The full implementation of Epic’s platform, planned to be completed in mid-2027, will better enable the delivery of patient-centered and coordinated care.
