Texas Children's Research Institute Precision Medicine
We seek to transform how we understand, diagnose, and treat diseases for each individual patient. By integrating five interconnected domains—from fundamental scientific discovery and leading edge diagnostics to therapeutic development—we accelerate the translation of innovative research into personalized treatments that improve patient outcomes.
Life Sciences Discovery Platform
We support a selective group of exceptional basic science investigators who advance discovery in human biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, and physiology. This life sciences discovery platform is housed in the Research Division of Pediatrics and other departments, allowing groundbreaking discoveries to spur new biomedical research initiatives and clinical trials at Texas Children’s. We also advance translational research through the Texas Children’s Better Together™ Biobank, which uses advanced data science tools and artificial intelligence to help researchers access the samples they need based on key patient demographics and clinical characteristics.
Advanced Diagnostics and Imaging
In collaboration with Departments of Pathology and Radiology at Texas Children's Hospital, the Research Institute is committed to advancing laboratory- and imaging-based diagnostics. New Laboratory-Developed Tests (LDTs) drive precision diagnostics that span clinical biochemistry, hematology, immunology, and infectious diseases for earlier and more accurate diagnoses. We're also harnessing the power of high resolution imaging—ultrasound, CT, MRI, and digital pathology—enhanced by next generation imaging agents, novel image acquisition methods, and artificial intelligence for diagnostic precision. Combining innovations in digital imaging and laboratory-based diagnostics gives patients answers with unprecedented accuracy, ensuring the right care at the right time.
Cell, Gene, and Bioengineered Therapies
Through the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy and parallel efforts in our clinical Centers of Excellence, the Research Institute accelerates clinical trials for ex vivo and in vivo gene therapies, addressing the demand for new approaches to treat inherited diseases, cancer, and hematologic disorders. Novel cell therapies and gene editing help redefine treatment possibilities, creating new opportunities to enroll patients in clinical trials. Our Center for Vaccine Development seeks to advance bioengineered vaccines to prevent infectious diseases.
Medical Device and Surgical Innovation
Partnering with the Southwest-Midwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium, one of five national pediatric device consortia supported by the FDA, the Research Institute is bridging the gap in pediatric medical and surgical device development, supporting projects from concept to clinical use. Collaborations within our Obstetrics & Gynecology department and the Texas Children's Fetal Center are advancing surgical techniques for prenatal care of mother and baby in the Pavilion for Women, while robotic surgery, enhanced by technical leaps in Surgery and Obstetrics, is improving outcomes in pediatric surgical care and women's health.
Human Genomics and Multi-Omics
We conduct genomics and metagenomics research through whole human genome sequencing, metagenomic sequencing, and multi-gene panels, partnering with Genomic Medicine in Texas Children's Pathology, the Texas Children's Microbiome Center, Baylor College of Medicine's Human Genome Sequencing Center, and Baylor Genetics. Our focus areas—cancer genomics, cardiovascular genetics, liver genetics, and immunogenetics—drive personalized risk assessment and treatment plans as we sequence human genomes for medical practice.
We also integrate metagenomics to study the microbiome at different body sites, uncovering links between microbial ecosystems and pediatric health through whole genome shotgun metagenomic profiles. Multi-omics advances, including metagenomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics, will deliver insights into compositional and functional features to improve diagnosis and management of chronic diseases. New opportunities for targeted therapeutics will be based on insights into microbial-human cellular ecosystems