Research at Vermont Children's Hospital

As part of a leading academic medical center, Vermont Children's plays an important role in ongoing newborn and pediatric research.  Our alliance with the UVM College of Medicine ensures that patients benefit from the breakthrough discoveries of a wide-range of scientific research and clinical trials.  The medical research that Vermont Children's physicians are engaged in at the College of Medicine also helps fulfill the hospital's community mission by making a difference in the lives of people we serve throughout the region.  Some research highlights include:

Vermont Oxford Network

The Vermont Oxford Neonatal Network, based at UVM, collects data from more than 380 neonatal intensive care units throughout the world, including Vermont Children's.  This data is used to improve the quality, cost, and safety of neonatal intensive care nationwide.  In addition to maintaining the world's most comprehensive database on high-risk newborn infants, the Vermont Oxford Network also conducts clinical trials that provide neonatal clinicians with new information that may lead to promising new therapies.

Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS)

This national network, established by the American Academy of Pediatrics, links nearly 2,000 physicians from all 50 states in studying pediatric health care in its most common setting: the pediatrician's office.  Under the direction of Dr. Richard Wasserman of Vermont Children's Hospital and the UVM College of Medicine, network data has stimulated policy changes in the recommended ages for preschool vision screening and referral for precocious puberty in young girls.  Current PROS studies assess the readiness of newborns and mothers for hospital discharge and test the effectiveness of pediatricians in preventing child violence.

Vermont Child Health Improvement Project (VCHIP) 

This partnership with UVM provides nearly all pediatric practices in Vermont with tools to measure and improve the delivery of preventative care to children. VCHIP has helped primary care pediatricians and family physicians at Vermont Children's find ways to dramatically improve their rates of immunization, lead screening and vision screening in Chittenden County.

Molecular Genetics and Cancer Research  

Ongoing research at Vermont Children's Hospital and the College of Medicine examines the changes in children's DNA as they age.  Investigators are studying this DNA to track the origins of cancer at the genetic level and to study the long-term effects of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, on children. 

Injury Prevention and Care 

Vermont Children's surgeons, in their academic roles at the UVM College of Medicine, are focused on investigating injury prevention and developing new therapies for children with injuries. These researchers have received national recognition for ongoing studies examining the long-term outcomes of head injuries and concussions in children. Additionally, research in the field of prevention and care for children's abdominal injuries was largely developed from programs at the Vermont Children's Hospital.