Established with the support of the Riley Children’s Foundation, the Child Health Research Institute was created to bring together pediatric investigators who share a commitment to advancing child health through scientific discovery, innovation, and collaboration. By building a unified and collaborative research community, we aim to accelerate research that transforms care to improve the health and well-being of children and their families.
Child Health Research Institute
Upcoming events
View upcoming events in the Department of Pediatrics.
Child Health Research Institute Structure
The Child Health Research Institute is comprised of four main research centers within the Department of Pediatrics. Learn more about each center below.
Wells Center for Pediatric Research
Led by Reuben Kapur, PhD, the Wells Center conducts basic science research seeking answers to the most pressing questions related to childhood illness.
Translational Research
Led by Ben Gaston, MD, the Pediatric Translational and Engineering Center is housed within the Wells Center and engages in pediatric focused translation research.
Clinical Trials and Clinical Research
Led by Erick Forno, MD, MPH, the Center for Clinical Trials and Clinical Research (CCTR) is designed to promote collaborative multidisciplinary research to advance discoveries that directly impact clinical care.
Children’s Health Services Research
Led by Matt Aalsma, PhD, MA, the Division of Children's Health Services Research conducts research in four priority areas, including informatics, implementation science, community engagement, and systems and policy analysis.
Recent Highlights
Specialized clinic care makes a significant difference in high-risk pediatric asthma
IU research revealed high-risk asthma clinics reduce severe attacks by 36%, yet many children face a two- to three-year delay in enrollment despite early warning signs in their medical history. The findings point to a better way to care for children with difficult asthma cases.September 03, 2026
With new funding, Renzhi Han, PhD and his lab are exploring the feasibility of delivering full-length dystrophin as a potential therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
September 02, 2026
30-year career pediatrician shares tips and tricks for back-to-school transitions
Billy Beechler shares his expertise in child development to set parents and caregivers up for successAugust 31, 2026
Summer highlights from undergraduate biomedical research interns
Undergraduate students who participate in the Wells Center Summer Internship and the Medical Physician Engineers, Scientists and Clinicians Preparatory programs learn from experts at IU while conducting their own research in the lab.July 17, 2026
Earlier combination inhalers linked to fewer severe asthma attacks in high-risk preschoolers
A study from IU researchers suggests that preschool-aged children with high-risk asthma could benefit from starting combination inhaler therapy earlier than current age-based guidelines recommend.July 08, 2026