Pediatric Research

Pediatric research at IU School of Medicine encompasses every clinical subspecialty as well as basic science, health services, health policy, informatics and comparative effectiveness research, and the Department of Pediatrics has an international reputation as a leader in innovation and the development of new therapies and treatments for childhood diseases.

Consistently ranked in the top five to ten percent nationally for National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding, the Department of Pediatrics also receives peer-reviewed, external research funding from national organizations, including the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, U.S. Department of Defense and others, totaling more than $70 million annually. Research funding to the Department of Pediatrics has grown 40 percent in the past two years.

The department boasts five research centers and conducts basic science, translational, clinical, observational and health policy research. Pediatric research is primarily conducted in the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, the Pediatric Translational Research Center at Riley Hospital for Children, and the Health Information and Translational Sciences Building. One unique factor contributing to the success of research programs in the Department of Pediatrics is the proximity and connection of research facilities to patient care facilities. Pediatric faculty work within their division specialties in basic science, clinical and translational research in addition to participating in collaborative interdisciplinary teams and multi-center programs.

Get Research Updates

Research faculty throughout IU School of Medicine’s academic departments post updates about their work to the research updates blog. Stay up-to-date about medical research in pediatrics.

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Career Development

The Department of Pediatrics at IU School of Medicine offers robust professional development programs that include special training for physician scholars interested in preparing for a career as pediatric physician scientists and for junior faculty in the Department of Pediatrics who are pursuing a career focused on pediatric research.

Pediatric Research Career Development Programs

Research Resources

Support available though IU School of Medicine for pediatric research is substantial and includes state-of-the-art facilities as well as human and capital resources needed to build successful basic science laboratories and clinical or translational studies.

Specialty Programs

Department of Pediatrics researchers are engaged in prominent leading-edge research programs focused on improving child health and developing new approaches to pediatric patient-centered care.

Research Centers

Through five major research centers located on the IU School of Medicine campus in Indianapolis, this department is home to collaborative research groups that cover multiple specialties and advance scientific knowledge improve to child health.

Featured Research Initiatives

Researchers at IU School of Medicine are leading the charge to determine a more precise definition of the genetic, developmental, behavioral and environmental factors that contribute to an individual’s health in order to understand the prevention, onset, treatment, progression and health outcomes of human diseases. The precision genomics team here uses genetic testing to identify DNA, RNA and proteins in cancer cells that can be precisely targeted with different treatments and then recommends treatment options that are specific to a child’s needs.

The Center for Pediatric Comparative Effectiveness Research (PACER) at IU School of Medicine is comprised of four cores: Faculty Mentorship/Development, Patient Engagement, Informatics and Implementation Sciences. The Center provides resources and collaborative efforts to establish a rigorous research program focused on patient-centered outcomes and comparative effectiveness research.