Pediatric Heart Network Emory University

PROJECT SUMMARY The mission of the Pediatric Heart Network (PHN) is to improve the health of children and adults with structural congenital heart defects, as well as children with acquired heart disease through multi-center clinical research. The Emory University Clinical Research Center combines the strengths and experience of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Emory Adult Congenital Heart Center, and Emory University School of Medicine with the goal of participating in a cooperative and interactive manner with the other Clinical Research Centers, the NHLBI, and the DCC to carry out the mission of the PHN. The specific aims of the Emory Clinical Research Center are 1) to participate as a core site in multi-center studies evaluating medical, interventional and surgical therapies related to pediatric heart diseases and congenital heart diseases across the lifespan, 2) to provide a training platform for fellows, junior faculty, and nurses, 3) to support the development of novel techniques and methodologies, 4) to ensure diverse perspectives and 5) to promote dissemination of study results to improve the scientific basis for the care of affected individuals. To achieve these aims, the Emory site will propose and lead novel scientific trials and studies, take advantage of its database and registry resources to enhance clinical studies, utilize the unique expertise of key personnel with database and registry linkage and be an active contributor to PHN leadership via participation in PHN committees and writing groups. The experienced team of clinician researchers and dedicated research coordinators has a history of successful enrollment in difficult trials, timely data submission and active participation in data analysis and dissemination of results. The Emory Clinical Research Center brings special strengths to the PHN, including a high clinical volume of children with heart disease and adults with congenital heart disease drawn from demographically diverse population. Collectively, these contributions will ensure the success of the PHN. In order to improve the lives of children with heart disease and adults with congenital heart disease, it is necessary that cardiac programs work together to study the most important questions. The PHN provides the best opportunity to answer these questions and promote evidence-based medicine for the care of affected individuals. The investigators of the Emory University Clinical Research Center have the experience, skills and desire to support the mission of the PHN and successfully carry out these vital clinical trials.