In 2011 alone, researchers at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics expanded our academic enterprise with more than 400 journal articles, book chapters and review articles co-authored by faculty members and staff. Our researchers also gave more than 400 scientific presentations at national and international meetings

Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine

Thanks to the Children's Mercy Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine, children in the Kansas City region are some of the first in the world to have access to advanced genomic testing.

Led by Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, MD, ChB, BAO, DSc, FRCPath, the center provides genome, computation and analytic capabilities which can provide faster diagnosis of inherited pediatric diseases and can detect chronic conditions before symptoms appear. Read full article. 

Nephrology

Children's Mercy is leading the largest study ever conducted on long-term risk factors of children with chronic kidney disease.

We are one of two clinical centers involved with the research project. The Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) study is specifically designed to better understand risk factors leading to the progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Funding from the National Institutes of Health has allowed CKiD to increase its original patient population of almost 600 children by about 50 percent.

Experimental Therapeutics

The Experimental Therapeutics in Pediatric Cancer Program (ETPC) at Children's Mercy has gained substantial recognition as a regional referral center since opening in 2010.

Under the direction of Kathleen A. Neville, MD, MS, the program is a collaborative initiative supported by the divisions of Clinical Pharmacology and Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation. The initiative is focused on giving children with recurrent or refractory cancer a local option to pursue experimental treatment with early phase anti-cancer drugs.

Neonatal Research Network

Children's Mercy is currently involved in four important neonatal interventional care studies. The studies are being conducted in conjunction with other institutions within the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network.

Two of the studies concern babies who have suffered birth asphyxia just before or after delivery, which puts them at high risk for brain injury, cerebral palsy or other debilitating conditions. Another study is investigating the use of hydrocortisone on babies born before 30 weeks. The research team is also testing one of two different kinds of surgery for premature babies who have developed intestinal problems, including necrotizing enterocolitis, an uncommon but devastating condition. Read full article.

Center for Prospective Clinical Trials

The Center for Prospective Clinical Trials pursues studies leading to significant treatment breakthroughs at Children's Mercy.

Recently, researchers completed a landmark study comparing irrigation to no irrigation for perforated appendicitis. The concrete findings resolved nearly a century of debate within the broader medical community about which approach produced better outcomes. Learn more.