Anyone who has known a child born with a congenital disorder,
paralyzed in an accident or challenged by a complex medical
condition knows that hope and healing are inseparable. The dream
that scientific breakthroughs will give doctors the tools and
medicines needed to cure disease is a real one. At Shriners
Hospitals for Children – Northern California, David Pleasure,
M.D., Director of Research, leads doctors and scientists as they
work collaboratively to find new ways to heal children with
complex medical needs.
Research studies are headquartered in the Institute of Pediatric Regenerative
Medicine (IPRM), a joint project of Shriners Hospitals for
Children and the University of California, Davis School of
Medicine. Located inside the Northern California Shriners
Hospital, the IPRM is home to an international team of scientists
devoted to bringing discoveries from the research laboratory to
the bedside. There questions are many and include:
- Is the ability to fight disease linked to genetic makeup?
- How does folate, a B vitamin, help prevent spina bifida?
- Can prescription drugs one day be used to prevent the
development or the effects of cerebral palsy?
- Can genetic testing be used to determine the most effective
drug therapies?
We do not know precisely when the answers to these and other
questions will come, but we can rest assured that the research
taking place today will positively impact the lives of children
for generations to come.
Quest for Cures
Researchers at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern
California are conducting studies on the following topics:
- Bone Abnormalities
- Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cleft Lip & Palate
- Hand Function
- Neural Development
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Tumor Formation
Addressing the Critical Needs of Children
Survival rates for burn victims have improved dramatically over
the past 40 years. Doctors and scientists at Shriners Hospitals
are responsible for many of the advances in pediatric burn care.
Studies underway encompass everything from how the body reacts to
severe stress to diagnostic tools that can be used at the bedside
when treating critically injured children. Topics under
investigation include Individual Response to Drugs, Organ
Failure, Environmental Influences and Bedside Diagnostics.
Researchers
Those working collaboratively in the IPRM to advance the care of
children include:
- 14 Principal Investigators
- 14 Pre-Doctoral Fellows
- 12 Post-Doctoral Fellows
- 1 Medical Student
Research Funding
Research is supported by Shriners Hospitals for Children and
grants from others, including:
- 7 National Institute for Health (NIH) Grants
- 2 Department of Defense Grants
- 1 National Science Foundation Grant
- 1 California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Grant
- 11 Shriners Basic Science Grants
- 4 Shriners Fellowship Grants
- Participate in 8 Shriners Clinical Research Grants, and are
organizers of 1 of the 6 grants
Fund for Innovation
The Greater Sacramento New Car Dealers Association- through their
Accelerate Hope campaign – has pledged $1,000,000 over ten
years to pediatric research at Shriners Hospitals for Children –
Northern California. This endowment will be used to establish
the Fund for Innovation, designed to accelerate hope
for injured and sick children throughout the region who receive
treatment at no charge. The fund, which was established in 2013,
allows doctors and scientists in the Institute of Pediatric
Regenerative Medicine (IPRM) to work collaboratively in their
quest for cures. Scientific and clinical research studies
underway in the IPRM provide new hope for children with cerebral
palsy, spina bifida, brachial plexus birth palsy, cleft lip and
palate, burns, spinal cord injuries and other pediatric conditions.
