A Message from Tina L. Cheng, MD, MPH

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, I am delighted to share our fiscal 2022 Research Annual Report—a celebration of our accomplishments as we chart our path for the future, not just for Cincinnati Children’s but also for children.

We have much to be proud of from this past year. As one of the leading pediatric research institutions in the nation, our accomplishments in science, innovation and discovery continue to truly change outcomes for children. Health care providers, here and around the world, are using treatments, cures, medications and more that were created, tested, taught and proven at Cincinnati Children’s.

The six most significant achievements featured in this year’s report reflect the wide spectrum of research performed here—from basic, preclinical, and clinical research to clinical implementation and public health. Investigators here collaborated to produce the most complex stomach organoid to date, worked with colleagues in Uganda to improve outcomes for children with rheumatic heart disease, revealed the untapped potential of antibodies produced during pregnancy, advanced our understanding of muscular dystrophy, uncovered a rapid immune reaction system that may transform allergy treatment for many, and demonstrated that adult cardiovascular risks can be detected—and potentially reduced—during childhood.

These discoveries and all the advances featured here reflect the dedication of our exceptionally talented faculty, lab teams and research collaborators, who actively push discoveries forward to improve child health, each and every day. Our people and our culture of collaboration are some of the greatest keys to our success.

As a result of our research performance, we consistently rank as one of the top three pediatric departments in the country for extramural support. This year, I am pleased to report that we have set a new all-time record, totaling more than $283 million dollars awarded from extramural grants and contracts.

This past year, we also finalized our new five-year strategic plan for research, which outlines how we will realize our shared vision of transforming child health through discovery, innovation and the translation of new knowledge into improved care. This plan serves as our research-specific blueprint for accelerating our work to prevent, cure or radically improve outcomes for individuals, populations and communities.

The work to implement this plan has already begun. This next year will be a time of action and execution, as we aspire to transform child health and well-being, accelerate discovery, and enrich the environment for research. I look forward to what we can achieve, together.

Tina L. Cheng, MD, MPH
BK Rachford Professor
Chair, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati
Director, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation
Chief Medical Officer, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center