"Texas Children's is the most logical home for a children's Neurological Research Institute," according to Dr. Ralph Feigin, Texas Children's Hospital physician-in-chief. "With 23 pediatric neurologists, we are the largest such division in the world. For example, Dr. Huda Zoghbi, one of our lead neurological researchers, and her team already have established themselves worldwide in genetics by isolating the genetic roots of at least two crippling neurological diseases-Rett syndrome and spinocerebellar ataxias."

The NRI will combine research and clinical treatments of disorders that affect children. Also, because so much of this work will be done at the genetic level, it is anticipated that findings will have a major impact on adult diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.


Texas Children's Feigin Center
Research
As part of its $1.5 billion investment, Texas Children's commitment to research includes the expansion of its existing Feigin Center. At the expanded facility, research will focus on studies that will rapidly translate novel cell and gene therapy protocols directly from the laboratory to the patient.

"There is no area of pediatric research and care that currently we are not working in," says Dr. Feigin. He notes that the institution has the largest pediatric cancer program in the United States, is ranked among the three best pediatric heart programs in the country and receives the largest amount of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to a pediatric department in the country. "Whether it's our Children's Nutrition Research Center, our work in cardiomyopathy, leukocyte biology or in infectious disease, all of our programs will grow with the addition of new facilities and laboratories," adds Dr. Feigin.

Education
This center also will serve as a site for specialized education and training. In fact, the U.S. Senate recently passed a bill that reauthorizes the federal Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Program through 2011, with an annual funding cap of $330 million. As one of only a few independent children's teaching hospitals, Texas Children's benefits from this program and will remain on the forefront of cutting-edge physician training.

Texas Children's Maternity Center
Texas Children's Hospital also plans to expand on its reputation in perinatal services with the creation of the Texas Children's Maternity Center. The center will offer a centralized continuum of care from pre-conception, pregnancy, delivery to post-delivery. Currently, Texas Children's houses the world's largest level 3 neonatal unit. As high-risk births in both the region and the nation continue to rise, research and treatment needs also have escalated. The center will offer a full range of obstetrics services for high-risk pregnancies, including evaluation and consultation, preterm birth evaluation and prevention, access to specialists, sub-specialists and surgeons, intensive care services, perinatal diagnostic and treatment services and support, including parenting classes, lactation support and social services.

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