After a decade of work and at an expense of nearly $3 billion, the sequencing of the human genome was completed in 2003. Advances since then have made individual sequencing much more widely available — an individual’s genome can now be sequenced in months, for a few thousand dollars.
The Center for Autism Research (CAR) at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia works to make rapid progress in understanding the underlying causes of autism. CAR’s mission is based on the principle that effective treatments for autism spectrum disorders, or ASD, will only emerge with increased understanding of the causes.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) - a family of developmental disorders associated with complex social challenges - can be scary, and not just because autism’s causes remain largely unknown, or because effective treatments are elusive. Autism is also scary because its prevalence seems to be on the rise.
One of the nation’s largest programs providing home visitation support for at-risk mothers and children may not be as successful in reducing early childhood injuries as it was in earlier evaluations, according to new research findings from the Children's Hospital...
We had to share — check out this amazing Focus Forward film on the recent T cell therapy treatment!
The holiday season is once again upon us! While it’s a time for family and friends to gather, indulge in traditions, and celebrate this season of giving, it’s also hard to believe another year has passed.
In another “I can’t believe it’s already here” tradition, the new edition of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute’s annual report is now available! The 2012 Research Annual Report details some of the many discoveries and accomplishments made at the Research Institute during fiscal year 2012. The report is available both as a PDF and as an interactive Web site.
Dr. Stephen Grupp's patient, Emma, relapses with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in April 2011.
Cancer therapy for children has come a long way over the last several decades, and the cure rate for some forms of pediatric cancer is at an all-time high. Although this success rate offers tremendous hope and optimism, there are some children whose disease fails to respond to conventional treatment, leaving doctors to explore novel ways to conquer cancer.
For decades, researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have worked to better understand and treat neuroblastoma, a cancer of nerve tissue.Neuroblastoma is frequently aggressive, causing approximately 12 percent of all childhood cancer deaths. In high-risk forms of the disease, the cancer tends to return after initial treatment, often with deadly results.
Genes provide tremendous information about how our bodies work and our possible predisposition for a variety of diseases and conditions. Researchers are working to discern what specific genes and gene regions play a role in disease.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia played a major role in a recent international genetics study that found four new gene regions that contribute to low birth weight. In particular, the investigators found that three of those regions influence metabolism in adults and may play a role in adult height, the risk of type 2 diabetes, and adult blood pressure.
Welcome to Cornerstone, the new blog of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute. We’re really excited to be launching this blog, where we’ll regularly be sharing news, interviews with CHOP investigators, and other commentary related to pediatric health.
The word research comes from the Old French word recercher, which means “to seek out, search closely,” and that’s just what CHOP’s researchers do every day: they seek out knowledge by looking closely at things, in the process helping us better understand the world around us. And research is the cornerstone of medical progress: without it, we wouldn’t have new treatments or medicines.
