Children’s Trust
Invest in the future of research.
Join Children’s Trust, an exclusive group that collectively channels their philanthropic passions and energies in support of UPMC Children’s most promising pediatric researchers.
Unmatched by any volunteer or leadership opportunity in Pittsburgh, Trust members pool their charitable resources to directly impact the future of research by voting to award annual grants.
At UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, research is the foundation for how we care for children. The research taking place at UPMC Children’s today will change the trajectory of a child’s life tomorrow.
Take an active role in preventing, treating, and curing pediatric diseases. Become a Children’s Trust member.
Connect
Learn
Schedule a research tour.
Empower
Decide
“We believe that positive change stems from people working passionately towards a common goal, and the opportunity to help fund and support life-changing research in its most primitive form is such a draw for us to be involved with the Children’s Trust. Living in Lawrenceville and having kids ourselves, it’s hard not to feel a connection to UPMC Children’s, and it’s a source of pride to learn of the work being done right here by all the doctors, nurses, and medical personnel.”
Join Us
Children's Circle of Care℠
$10,000+ per household
- (10) Votes at Grantmakers’ Meeting
- Recognition on UPMC Children’s Circle of Care donor wall.
- Personalized hospital and lab tours for you and guests.
Rising Philanthropist
$2,500+ per household
- (4) Votes at Grantmakers’ Meeting
- Invitation to group lab tour with Grantmakers’ winners.
- Individualized attention from philanthropic advisor.
Executive Circle
$1,500 per household
- (2) Votes at Grantmakers’ Meeting
- Recognition on UPMC Children’s Frank LeMoyne Society donor wall.
- Invitation to Dinner with the Doctors and other exclusive events.
- Member Spotlights
General Individual
$500 per individual
- (1) Vote at Grantmakers’ Meeting
- Quarterly Impact emails
- Invite to select networking and volunteer events
Request information, connect for a conversation, and inquire about a hospital tour by contacting Katie McGregor at [email protected].
2026 Grantmakers' Winners
150 members collectively awarded $150,000 to three researchers
Taylor Eddens,
MD, PhD
Taking home first prize, and $70,000, was Taylor Eddens, MD, PhD. The Eddens lab studies the acute and long-standing pathology following early life respiratory viral infection. Viral pathogens are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young children. Early life viral infection is also associated with an increased risk of developing asthma. The Eddens lab studies how these early infections shape the developing immune system, especially in the lungs. Their research shows that when infection happens in infancy, it can create long-lasting changes that make the lungs more prone to asthma-like inflammation later on. By understanding how these early immune responses work, the team hopes to identify new ways to prevent or reduce asthma in children.
Carolina Pinzon-Guzman, MD, PhD
Dr. Pinzon-Guzman’s clinical interests include fetal therapy and diagnosis as well as congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract such as esophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia and congenital lung lesions. She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has presented her academic work at in many local, national, and international conferences. She took home second prize and a grant of $50,000.
Antony MichaelRaj,
PhD
Winning third place, and $30,000, was Antony MichaelRaj, PhD, whose research is producing results that are reshaping how scientists understand diseases like ependymoma and medulloblastoma. His team recently revealed how medulloblastoma rewires the cell’s energy metabolism to survive and grow — a discovery published in Cancer Cell. In a separate study in Nature, his group explained why posterior fossa ependymoma occurs in boys far more often than girls, tracing the disparity to androgen signaling and opening the door to anti-androgen treatments already used in other cancers
Become a Trust sponsor and ignite the movement to advance pediatric research.
Program Sponsorship
Engage your company’s leaders and help to advance pediatric research and the mission of UPMC Children’s through corporate sponsorship of the Children’s Trust. Connect, network, and join forces with the region’s most talented and community-minded professionals and businesses. Trust sponsors are invited to participate in a variety of ways including hosting volunteer and networking programs, sponsoring Trust members, and supporting the long-term strategic plan of the program.
Gold Sponsor
- Exclusive Children’s Trust Sponsor
- (10) Employee Memberships
- Website and Social Recognition
Silver Sponsor
- (6) Employee Memberships
- Select Website and Social Recognition
Bronze Sponsor
- (4) Employee Memberships
- Access to digital toolkit
Friend of Trust
- (2) Employee Memberships
- Host volunteer and networking events
Confluence Financial Partners is a corporate sponsor of Children’s Trust. Sponsorship is a paid relationship.
Member Sponsorship
Set the standard for corporate philanthropy and unlock an employee’s potential with a Children’s Trust membership.
Match Employee’s Contribution
$1,250
Demonstrate your support by matching an employee’s $1,250 investment to participate in this uniquely engaging leadership program.
Sponsor Full Membership
$2,500
Step up as a corporate leader and nominate a rising star on your team to participate in Children’s Trust.
Request additional sponsorship information or connect for a conversation by contacting Jessica Monahan at [email protected].
The History of Children's Trust
Children’s Trust gives members the opportunity to invest in the future of pediatric research and play an active role in developing better outcomes for children everywhere. Historically, Trust members have helped to advance innovation in the areas of Ewing sarcoma, brain injury recovery, newborn bacterial infections, expanding access to healthcare, and so much more.
60 emerging community leaders came together to form the Children’s Trust
First Grantmakers’ Meeting. Dr. Dennis Simon was awarded $40,000
Hit $250,000 mark for total support of pediatric research
The multiplier effect kicks in when two trust award recipients earn NIH grants
Restructured Children’s Trust to focus 100% on research
Back in person for the first ever Cocktails & Cures event
Building back up: 150 members contributed to an annual revenue high of $198,000
Meet the researchers supported by Children's Trust
2025
$150,000 total awarded to:
2024
$170,000 total awarded to:
- Kristina Gaietto, MD, MPH, Asthma
- Jessica D. Daley, MD, Hematology/Oncology
- Laura Kirkpatrick, MD, Epilepsy
2023
$170,000 total awarded to:
2022
$70,000 total awarded to:
2021
$70,000 total awarded to:
- Maya Ragavan, MD, Pediatrics
- Lisa Maurer, MD, PhD, Hematology/Oncology
2020
$100,000 total awarded to:
- Thomas Hooven, MD, Neonatology Newborn Medicine
- Shaun Carlson, PhD, Neurological Surgery
- Heather Joseph, DO, Psychiatry
2019
$90,000 total awarded to:
- Dwi Kemaladewi, PhD, Medical Genetics
- Deirdre Nolfi-Donegan, MD, Hematology/Oncology
2018
$90,000 total awarded to:
- Christopher Horvat, MD, Critical Care Medicine
- Kelly Bailey, MD, Hematology/Oncology
2017
$40,000 total awarded to:
- Sameer Agnihotri, PhD, Neurological Surgery
2016
$40,000 total awarded to:
- Dennis Simon, MD, Critical Care Medicine
Be the deciding vote in supporting the future of pediatric research and its impact for the children across Pittsburgh and beyond. The Children’s Trust provides exceptional experiences and benefits and several levels of participation for individuals, households, and companies.
Request information, connect for a conversation, and inquire about a hospital tour by contacting Katie McGregor at [email protected].