# Pediatric Heart Network Clinical Research Centers - Boston Children's Hospital

> **NIH NIH UG1** · BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $389,207

## Abstract

The Heart Center (HC) at Boston Children's Hospital (BCH) has been an enthusiastic and productive Core
Center in the Pediatric Heart Network (PHN) since its inception in 2001. We here demonstrate our strengths
and capabilities to continue as a PHN Core Center. Our clinical volume is large and in 2015 included 1430
operations (897 open heart), 1588 catheterizations, 23,723 outpatient visits, 22,943 echocardiograms, and
>1,093 cardiac MRIs. Our recruitment has been in the top quartile of participating centers for 6 of 7 PHN
studies conducted in the current grant cycle, and top half in the other. The HC participates in 83 multicenter
trials or registries, directs 8 Echo Core Labs, and is the Data Coordinating Center for 10 multi-center studies.
Within the PHN, we have directed 7 imaging Core Labs (6 echo, 1 MRI) since its inception. The HC employs 4
research nurses and 24 research coordinators or assistants, including the same PHN research nurse and PHN
study coordinator since 2005. Our subject recruitment is excellent, and available on nights and weekends via a
call schedule – in fact, we recruited 20% of SVR trial subjects on Saturdays or Sundays. BCH is a national
leader in centralized institutional review board implementation. We de-identify all research imaging studies and
developed and made available novel software to de-identify images from other centers sent to our imaging
Core Labs. We provide leadership on ways to leverage national cardiovascular databases and registries to
facilitate research, e.g., the Residual Lesion Score Audit Study validation of use of the STS registry database
to reduce coordinator time. In the PHN Site Assessment, we accordingly received the best score among all
PHN sites for overall data quality and timeliness (BCH score 95 vs. median 86). Other institutional strengths
include: 1) unique resources for integration of advanced bioinformatics with clinical research, e.g., use of
adopted informatics infrastructure (i2b2/SHRINE) to investigators in the NIH-funded Pediatric Pulmonary
Hypertension Network (PPHnet); 2) development of efficient new models of institutional review, research
administration and study subject protection; 3) special expertise in the analysis of cost and value in the
performance of interventional and surgical CHD procedures; 4) innovations in development and application of
induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to pediatric heart disease; 5) highly developed infrastructure in safety
and quality that monitors and reports >50 metrics of quality and safety specific to cardiovascular operations,
procedures and clinical management. This infrastructure has resulted in the only measures (n = 5) endorsed
by the National Quality Forum developed and submitted by a pediatric hospital. In the upcoming grant period,
we will continue our commitment to the PHN at a level well beyond that supported by NIH dollars, as indicated
by our PHN “Citizenship Score,” reflecting PHN leadership in the current grant period ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9842329
- **Project number:** 5UG1HL135685-04
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Jane W. Newburger
- **Activity code:** UG1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $389,207
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-01-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9842329

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9842329, Pediatric Heart Network Clinical Research Centers - Boston Children's Hospital (5UG1HL135685-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9842329. Licensed CC0.

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