Research

UPMC Children’s has long been a pioneer in pediatric medicine. It was here in the 1950s that a young investigator named Jonas Salk tested the effectiveness of a new vaccine to eradicate polio. In the early 1980s, Dr. Thomas Starzl advanced lifesaving organ transplant surgery that revolutionized treatment. It’s a place where the impossible becomes possible.

Today, some of the world’s most prominent pediatric specialists are investigating new treatments, uncovering new cures, and bringing new hope for children and families in Pittsburgh and all over the world.

You have the power to help drive scientific discovery and fuel innovation in health care delivery and training. Help us grow talented teams to inspire collaborative, life-changing research and develop the most effective methods and tools to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure pediatric diseases.

A Look Inside the Lab

Type 1 Diabetes: Closing in on a Cure

A UPMC Children’s physician-researcher and his team are closer than ever to discovering a new treatment for over 200,000 children, adolescents, and adults living with diabetes in the United States. Surgeon-scientist George K. Gittes, MD, is using gene therapy technology to trigger certain cells in the pancreas to begin producing insulin.

The Pittsburgh Study: a landmark research and intervention initiative

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh leaders are partnering with individuals and organizations from throughout the region to find out what works to help kids thrive. A first-of-its-kind initiative, the Study will follow children in Allegheny County from before birth through high school to track defined indicators of health and address the root causes of inequity.