Our Research Areas

Uniting Research and Care to Help Kids Thrive

At Children’s Wisconsin, research is how we turn ideas into better outcomes. Our goal is to improve care for kids and young adults.

We lead many studies through the Children’s Research Institute (CRI) and our Nursing Research program. We study how to prevent illness, treat complex conditions and improve kids' health. Our work goes from early lab discoveries to real-world care.  

Key Areas of Research

We focus on four main areas of research that impact the full spectrum of child health.

Backed by strong partnerships with the Medical College of Wisconsin and national groups, these include:

• Developmental genetics and genomics: We explore how genetic changes impact health, growth and disease. Our work helps explain rare conditions. It also allows scientists to create new DNA tests, medicines, vaccines and other treatments.
• Infection, inflammation and immunity: Our research looks at how genes and the immune system work. We explore new methods to find and treat diseases caused by immune system problems.
• Vascular biology and blood disorders: We study blood, blood clotting, the heart and the growth and function of vessels. This includes research on bleeding disorders, sickle cell disease and more.
• Patient-centered studies: This includes nursing-led research and studies on cancer and community health. We also study which treatments work best for kids in everyday settings. Research in community health aims to improve the health of kids and families, mainly through prevention.

Why It Matters

Kids face different health challenges than adults. This makes strong pediatric research vital.

Through our work, we improve care for kids whether they’re in the hospital, clinic or at home. Many of the conditions we study are rare, chronic or complex.

Our focus on real-world problems allows us to help doctors, nurses and families manage pain, prevent illness and improve kids’ lives. Our teams study the social, emotional and genetic factors that impact child health. This research spans from infancy to the teen years.

This work doesn’t just help kids in Wisconsin. It shapes national care guidelines. It also provides insights to researchers and experts across the country.

How We Make It Happen

We power our research through:

• The Children’s Research Institute (CRI): CRI supports more than 1,000 active studies and clinical trials.
• Our Nursing Research program: The Department of Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice conducts nursing-led research. This research focuses on everyday and complex health challenges.
• The MACC Fund Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders: This group studies new medicines, therapies and genetic tools. The goal is to treat childhood cancer and improve care.
• The Center for Clinical Effectiveness Research: This group helps doctors and researchers study which treatments work best for kids. It helps to plan studies, track data, write grants and mentor new researchers.

Our researchers also work with national and regional experts.

This includes:

• The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)
• Marquette University College of Nursing
• The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing

Get Involved:

Connect, Explore Research and Support Us

Have a question or want to connect with our researchers?

We'd love to hear from you.

CRI facility: (414) 955-5773

CRI administration: (414) 337-7108

Nursing Research team: (414) 266-8384

Looking for research?

Search the NIH clinical trials database to see all the studies CRI offers.

Want to support our work?

Learn about planned giving and other ways you can support our research — or make a gift online.

Why Choose Children's Wisconsin for Research?

At Children's Wisconsin, research isn't only a mission — it's part of how we care for kids every day. We're known for helping lead new discoveries in kids' health. Our team unites top doctors, researchers and resources to advance the science of childhood health every day.

Top-ranked programs: Children's Wisconsin is well known across the United States for expert care in heart, cancer and blood disorders. That makes it a great place to grow research in blood and vessel health.

Leaders in immunology: We are a Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies. We offer a full range of treatments for immune diseases, and our research helps us improve our care.

Strong track record: CRI is part of more than 1,000 studies and receives millions in funding each year. We also have a rising funding ranking with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Top research tools and experts: We have advanced labs, imaging and other support to boost research success. Our leaders are doctors, scientists and advanced practice providers. They also work with experts in other fields to drive progress.

Deep partnerships: We have strong research groundwork through CRI and Nursing Research. Our work with the Medical College of Wisconsin and other partners allows us to share knowledge and improve outcomes for kids.