Children's Memorial Research Center

Mary J. C. Hendrix, PhD
President and Scientific Director,
Children’s Memorial Research Center; Medical Research Institute Council Professor
and William G. Swartchild, Jr. Distinguished Research Professor; Professor,
Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

On behalf of the faculty, staff and trainees of Children’s Memorial Research Center and the academic departments of Pediatrics, Surgery, Pathology, Medical Imaging, Anesthesiology, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, it is my privilege to present our annual report highlighting the basic and translational research discoveries advancing our mission – developing new therapies for pediatric patients and their families. Toward this goal, we have significantly increased our patent portfolio and partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.

A little over two decades ago, Children’s Memorial charted a course for success by investing in the establishment of a research enterprise that would support the clinical and educational missions of the Children’s Memorial Medical Center departments. This strategic decision has had profound implications resulting in the recruitment of top talent and the acquisition of national prominence.

Now, with the construction of a world-class children’s hospital on the campus of a highly respected medical center and university, we embrace the goal of becoming a top ten research center to support what will surely be a top ten hospital, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Currently, we have over 150 funded principal investigators, over 500 staff, $41.1 million in extramural awards for Fiscal Year 2011, conducting research in approximately 162,000 gross square feet across four campuses.

In other words, Children’s research is conducted on an “urban” campus. As we initiate implementation of our recently approved research strategic plan with new faculty recruitments and enhancement of synergistic programs with Northwestern University, we anxiously await plans for the ultimate relocation of the Children’s research enterprise to the Streeterville campus. Indeed this will be the focus of the next capital campaign.

I end on a note of celebration of the 60th year anniversary of the Medical Research Institute Council (MRIC). It was a most fortunate time for Children’s 20 years ago when the MRIC joined forces to support the expansion of the research enterprise. They have raised over $55 million for the research center since 1991, and their leadership and legacy of generosity in the philanthropic community are extraordinary.

I would like to especially thank Seth Prostic and Lesli Falk for their remarkable leadership of the MRIC during the past year. Our special gratitude is also extended to the 2011 Ball Co-chairs, Beth Gross and Susan Pluss, for their enthusiasm and extremely hard work on our behalf. We are gratefully indebted to all our generous donors who support today’s research for tomorrow’s cures and make us a premier research enterprise.