Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute

A warm thank you to Pick NRG and their customers for surpassing $5 million in funding to our Cardiac Center at CHOP! Contributions have fueled more than 30 projects and research initiatives to help support our #CHOPHeartWarriors. With this support, our investigators have been able to conduct critical and innovative research, including the development of novel treatments, for children with heart disease. Learn more in the link below:

“Just stay strong and be brave” is 10-year-old Kyrie’s message for children going through tough medical journeys like his. At age 6, Kyrie was diagnosed with a rare soft-tissue cancer called infantile fibrosarcoma. Though chemotherapy is the current standard-of-care, he participated in a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia clinical trial testing the effectiveness of an oral drug with low side effects, called larotrectinib. Theodore Laetsch, MD, principal investigator of CHOP’s Center for Precision Medicine for High-risk Pediatric Cancer, led the initial trials for the medication, which was approved by the FDA in 2018 for a range of cancers with a specific genetic mutation. This remarkable example of precision medicine therapy has changed Kyrie's life, and now his family is sharing his story in a new Cornerstone video. Learn more about the research leading up to the treatment’s development: http://ms.spr.ly/6048sLASI

A Nature study led by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia’s Michael Hogarty, MD, has shown that in preclinical models, limiting certain amino acids through diet may enhance the effects of an FDA-approved drug for high-risk neuroblastoma. The findings lay the foundation for new strategies to treat high-risk neuroblastoma, the survival rate of which remains around 50%. “After many years of work in this area, it’s exciting to see this breakthrough that may lead to more effective therapies for children with neuroblastoma,” said Dr. Hogarty, who worked alongside collaborators at Princeton University and the University of Zurich. Read the full story on Cornerstone: http://ms.spr.ly/6043sQmCz

Meet Christina Gurnett, PhD, who joined Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as Chief of the Division of Neurology, in a new Q&A. Dr. Gurnett also will serve as the Co-Executive Director of the Neurosciences Center at CHOP. Her research explains the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental and musculoskeletal disorders while also focusing on building tools and partnerships to advance rare disease research. “My personal goal is to make sure that CHOP continues to be a wonderful place for everyone on my team to work, so that we have careers that allow people at all levels to advance and make important contributions,” Dr. Gurnett said. Read the full Q&A on Cornerstone: http://ms.spr.ly/6045sQmfx

Our CHOP Faculty Spotlight series is back! To kick off this monthly Q&A series, meet Jennifer Lynch, MD, PhD, a faculty member in Children's Hospital of Philadelphia’s Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and a physicist specializing in biomedical optics. Dr. Lynch discusses her work using advanced optical spectroscopy techniques to support infants with critical congenital heart disease – a patient population that currently faces a high risk for brain injury. “My long-term goal is to make individualized neuroprotection possible — to provide clinicians with the tools they need to tailor care in real time and reduce the risk of brain injury for children with heart disease,” Dr. Lynch said. Read the full Q&A on Cornerstone now: http://ms.spr.ly/6043sQmjP

Happy #NationalResearchAdministratorDay to our incredible community of administrators and managers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute! From handling grant spending and contracts, to navigating IRB protocols and safety regulations, to managing purchasing and payroll, and so much more, these passionate professionals help CHOP investigators and their teams bring our breakthroughs from the bench to the bedside. Join us in celebrating by tagging a research admin below in the comments to say thanks!

It was a good week to be a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia postdoc! Our incredible Office of Academic Training and Outreach Programs (ATOP) organized a packed agenda of activities for #NationalPostdocAppreciationWeek, from goat yoga with Philly Goat Project, to a mini wellness retreat, to tasting some of the best food in Philly. A big thank you to ATOP and to all of our CHOP postdoctoral fellows who work hard to advance children's health through research! Learn more about life as a postdoc at CHOP Research Institute: http://ms.spr.ly/6049sSy1U

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Landstrom, MD, PhD, as the inaugural Director of Translational Research at CHOP’s Cardiovascular Institute. Starting in February 2026, Dr. Landstrom will lead innovative research in pediatric heart and vascular diseases. Accompanying him are Liming Pei, PhD, as Director of Fundamental Discovery, and Michael O’Byrne, MD, MSCE, as Director of Clinical Research, marking a transformative era in pediatric cardiovascular care. Together, they will drive innovations that empower children and families affected by cardiovascular disease. Learn more: http://ms.spr.ly/6042soZQa