Pediatric Disease

3. Prevent, Treat and Eliminate Pediatric Disease

Strategies

• Grow our research programs and improve our national ranking in research and scholarship to place Seattle Children's among the top pediatric research institutions
• Ensure scientific excellence, innovation, leadership and the highest ethical principles through recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty
• Create research centers targeting key areas of pediatric health that perform at a level comparable to our national ranking
• Enhance the excellence of our clinical programs
• Develop research space and infrastructure to promote the rational allocation and efficient use of resources

Initiatives

• Develop 200,000 to 250,000 square feet of research space, and secure land for further expansion
• Triple the hospital's funding of research operations
• Develop research that extends from bench to bedside in specific clinical areas
• Create research centers to promote mission-oriented multidisciplinary research
• Enhance existing scientific core laboratories and establish new ones
• Establish an external research advisory committee

Research that Changes Lives

Dr. Bonnie Ramsey

When two of her young patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) died within a week of each other, Dr. Bonnie Ramsey knew what she had to do.

"I couldn't continue to hold the hands of these young boys and girls without personally trying to improve the outcomes for CF."

Her dedication and spirit of inquiry have led to remarkable advances in the treatment of people with CF, helping double their average lifespan and vastly improving their quality of life.

Ramsey was a vital part of the Children's research that led to a breakthrough CF treatment: TOBI™, an inhalable form of an existing antibiotic that is delivered directly to the lungs, where it is needed most, while limiting unnecessary exposure to others parts of the body.

Kari Foss

No one appreciates the gains from medical research more than Kari Foss, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 2.

Kari participated in four CF studies at Children's. Not only does she feel like she's helping future CF patients, she considers it payback for the care she's received at Children's Cystic Fibrosis Clinic.

"CF sounds like such a terrible disease, but with all the research that's going on, people with CF can accomplish a lot in their lives," she says.

Thanks to breakthroughs in research, Kari's biggest challenge is fitting in treatments around her active-teenager lifestyle.

In addition to CF, Children's researchers are making major contributions to the understanding of bioethics, immunology, infectious disease, tissue response to injury and cancer.