Children's Health

The Children’s Health Research Institute (CHRI) has a long and proud history of discovering ways to prevent and treat diseases affecting infants, children and youth, and to determine ways to promote happy, healthy lives.

About CHRI

Established over 25 years ago in 1987 by the War Memorial Children’s Hospital Board (predecessor of the current Children’s Health Foundation), CHRI has grown from four scientists in 1999 to 108 scientists and researchers today. With enhanced support from the Children’s Health Foundation and Lawson Health Research Institute for infrastructure, recruitment and retention of scientists and trainees, operating costs and strategic initiatives, CHRI has matured to become the third largest hospital-based child and maternal health research institute in Canada.

In 2000, the Children’s Health Research Institute and the Children’s Health Foundation signed a memorandum of agreement with the Lawson Health Research Institute and the Boards of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care.  The memorandum of agreement recognized CHRI as a program within Lawson that is responsible for all research encompassing children’s and mother’s health, with the Children’s Health Foundation and Lawson agreeing to assume responsibility for operational and infrastructure funding of the Institute.  CHRI is proud to be part of Lawson Health Research Institute and affiliated with Western University.

Our Vision

To be recognized internationally for excellence in creating and translating knowledge that leads to improvements in the health of children and youth

Our Mission

To conduct research of the highest international standards into optimizing life-long health of children and youth in Canada and around the world.

Research

CHRI is working towards the goal of improving the health of children and youth in London, and in turn across Canada and the world.  CHRI is divided into three divisions:

• Children’s Health and Therapeutics  addresses child health issues from a holistic perspective–the social, psychological, environmental, and biological determinants.  Our research emphasizes the synthesis of clinical, population health and basic research, that will ultimately translate into policies, programs, and health care that improve children’s quality of life.
• Maternal, Fetal and Newborn Health has a history of research excellence in fetal and newborn health and is internationally renowned for its bench to bedside translational research. This research will get to the root of childhood diseases and behavioral disorders, and thus improve the overall quality of life for children.
• Genetics and Development is focused on the many things there are to learn about childhood illnesses. Our goal is to unravel the mysteries of childhood genetic disorders and to use that information to provide better quality of life through prevention, early diagnosis and treatments.

Trainees

Children’s Health Research Institute offers an unparalleled, hands-on learning experience for Postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and summer students. A collaborative, passionate and dynamic research environment provides a unique opportunity for students to join research teams conducting basic, clinical and population health research into the most pressing illnesses and diseases affecting infants, children and adolescents today. This training environment leads the way for these researchers to acquire the research skills needed to make a difference in the lives of children. Discover more about trainee opportunities.

Funding

Our research is funded by both provincial and federal government research agencies, non-profit foundations and agencies, international funding agencies, industry, and by generous donations to the Children’s Health Foundation and the Lawson Health Research Institute. Find out more about funding and how you can support CHRI.

For more information on CHRI research and researchers, please visit Children’s Health Research Institute.