The Department of Paediatrics is a recognised international centre for research in child health and development.
The Department of Paediatrics is a focal point for research but not the exclusive domain of paediatric relevant research. The themes below capture investigators both in the Department of Paediatrics and other departments and research institutes throughout Cambridge that contribute to the overall productivity in Cambridge. The following listing includes both clinical and basic science research. Last year, Cambridge investigators recruited approximately 1500 children into NIHR portfolio clinical research studies. The main site for clinical research on the Addenbrookes campus is the clinical research facility, which is staffed paediatric nurses and consultants and can accommodate primarily ambulatory subjects. The Department of Paediatrics currently has no wet lab component and so investigators, such as Rowitch, Murray and Zilbauer, have lab space located in other departments or research units. In addition, Department of Paediatrics shares joint arrangements for salary support and offers honorary or associate titles. For these reasons, the following listing is designed to give a full flavour of paediatric relevant research and extent of existing collaborations at Cambridge University, Cambridge University Hospitals, Babraham, EBI and Sanger Institute.
Currently research is focused in four main areas:
Neuroscience and Developmental Origins of Psychiatric Disease
Brain Injury, Neuroprotection and Psychiatry
Diabetes, Obesity and Endocrinology
Primary prevention and improved treatments for children
Genetics and pathophysiology of severe childhood obesity
Reproductive development and behavior
Genomics, Epidemiology and Population Science
Early Growth and puberty timing as predictors of disease risk
The POPS and Next Generation Children’s Projects: Early biomarker detection and long-term outcomes
Inflammatory bowel disease, allergy and gut barrier dysfunction
Paediatric Oncology
Genetics and development of paediatric cancers
The department also has close links with Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Addenbrooke’s) Women’s and Children’s Division with collaborative research opportunities in a number of paediatric sub-speciality areas including intensive care, neurology, oncology, neonatology, gastroenterology and paediatric respiratory / allergy medicine. For more information go to Research Themes or Paediatric Research at Addenbrooke’s.
Research governance sets out principles, regulations and standards of good practice to deliver high quality research. All research undertaken at the Department of Paediatrics is expected to adhere to the Research Council UK guidelines . All health related research involving human participants has additional governance requirements which are set out in the Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care (Adobe PDF). Researchers should also follow the principles laid out in the UUK concordat to support research integrity.