Children's National Presents First Sheikh Zayed Prize for Pediatric Surgical Innovation
Children's National Presents First Sheikh Zayed Prize for Pediatric Surgical Innovation
Washington, DC—Children’s National has presented its inaugural Sheikh Zayed Prize for Pediatric Surgical Innovation to Heung Bae Kim, MD, of Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Kim was presented with the award, preceded by his presentation on “Patient Inspired Surgical Innovation,” during the First Annual Pediatric Surgical Innovation Symposium in Washington, DC, hosted by the Sheikh Zayed Institute.
The Sheikh Zayed Institute Prize recognizes a mid-career individual who has successfully advanced surgical care for children. To identify and support interesting and exciting ways to meet the challenges of surgical care in pediatrics, the Sheikh Zayed Prize encourages new and continued contributions to the field of pediatric surgical innovation. The prize includes a $20,000 award.
“It is a pleasure to present the first Sheikh Zayed Prize for Pediatric Surgical Innovation to Heung Bae Kim,” said Peter C. W. Kim, MD CM, PhD, Vice President of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National. “He has pioneered new surgical techniques that address previously unmet needs, and his continuing work promises to improve success rates in pediatric organ transplants, which will save the lives of a great many children.”
Selection criteria include the significance of the innovation, evidence of positive impact on children’s health through surgery and related areas, and promise for important future advances by the recipient. Judges are leaders both inside and outside of the Sheikh Zayed Institute.
Dr. Heung Bae Kim is internationally recognized in pediatric surgery and transplantation. His research focuses on developing and testing alternatives to existing surgical procedures. He is Director of the Pediatric Transplant Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. He originated a new procedure for short bowel syndrome—the STEP technique—now used when standard surgery is not feasible. He recently reported on the development of a new procedure to treat mid-aortic syndrome. His clinical interests include improving outcomes in pediatric solid organ transplants through immunosuppression minimization and prevention of infectious complications.
The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation launched in 2009. The Institute, which aims to make surgery more precise, less invasive and pain-free for children, was made possible by a $150 million gift from the Government of Abu Dhabi to Children’s National Medical Center.