Children's National Research & Innovation Campus Sees Major Milestones



February marked a major milestone for the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus. The Children's National Hospital Rare Disease Institute became the innovation hub's first occupant and saw the first patients ever at the new campus.

The Rare Disease Institute, which includes the largest clinical group of pediatric geneticists in the nation, focuses on developing the clinical care field of the more than 8,000 rare diseases currently recognized and advancing the best possible treatments for children with these diseases.

Opening this year, the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus is the first campus solely dedicated to pediatric research and innovation and will drive discoveries that save and improve children's lives.

The growth of the campus has been bolstered by philanthropic investments from community partners, including The Boeing Company. A $5 million commitment from Boeing that will help drive lifesaving pediatric discoveries at the new campus was announced in October 2021. The Research & Innovation Campus main auditorium, the focal point of the state-of-the-art conference center on campus, will be named in recognition of Boeing’s generosity. Nationally renowned experts will convene there with scientists, medical leaders and diplomats from around the world to foster collaborations that spur progress and disseminate findings.

“Children’s National Hospital’s enduring mission of positively impacting the lives of our youngest community members is especially important today,” said Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun. “We’re honored to join other national and community partners to advance this work through the establishment of their Research and Innovation Campus.”

Research & Innovation Campus partners currently include Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS, Virginia Tech, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Cerner, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD) and local government.

Leaders from Children’s National, Virginia Tech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS detailed how unprecedented partnerships and a shared vision for the future were key to turning a decade-old dream into a reality during a panel discussion on February 24, 2021, at the Healthcare Project Delivery Conference.

For more remarks about the Boeing gift from David Calhoun, watch this video.

To learn more about how you, your company or your foundation can get involved, please contact Julie Butler, Vice President, Corporate and Community Giving at 301-565-8508 or [email protected].


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