The Nemours Cardiac Center performs more than 200 surgeries each year to treat congenital cardiovascular disease (CCD) in children. To give kids with all kinds of heart conditions the very best care, our Center for Cardiac Research participates in a multitude of research studies — all with the goal of improving care for children with congenital heart disease and other cardiac-related conditions.

We conduct pediatric heart studies in collaboration with the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, other researchers at local hospitals and universities, and organizations such as the Pediatric Heart Network and the Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society.

Through all of our research, we’re committed to advancing pediatric heart care by:

1. Developing alternatives to organ transplantation and non-adaptive synthetic grafts
2. Improving tissue survival and function
3. Improving diagnostics for post-surgical outcomes
4. Improving post-surgical (after surgery) therapy

The Center for Cardiac Research engages in clinical research in three areas:

• clinical research in congenital heart disease: Projects in this area relate to the outcomes (results) of cardiovascular surgery and interventional cardiology procedures.
• basic research: Our efforts focus on understanding the genetic and/or environmental causes of cardiac malformations in children.
• preventive cardiology: We’re internationally recognized for investigations into preventive cardiology and maintain a leadership role in national efforts to prevent heart disease. Our collaborations keep Nemours programs highly visible in national efforts in obesity and preventive cardiology. Findings from these studies will be important in understanding early end organ injury from cardiovascular risk factors.

In addition, Nemours’ Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (TERM) Lab investigates pediatric disorders affecting muscle. The overall goal is to improve health outcomes for children with acquired and congenital diseases associated with muscle malformation or malfunction, including cardiac and vascular muscle insufficiency in patients with congenital cardiovascular disease (CCD).

Clinical Trials in Pediatric Cardiology

Nemours often offers clinical trials related to cardiology. A clinical trial is a study that evaluates new medicines, new devices, new treatments, or new applications for old treatments.

Clinical trials are safe and supervised by a qualified physician, under strict guidance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Patient safety is extremely important to the FDA, to those conducting the studies, and to everyone at Nemours. In a clinical trial, children participating in the study are monitored closely — and families may refuse any aspect of the study treatment or completely discontinue their child’s participation in the clinical trial at any time.

One area of focus for our clinical trial work is on the outcomes of cardiovascular surgery and interventional cardiology procedures.

For information about current clinical trials in:

• Wilmington, DE: (302) 651-6800 or (302) 651-6808

Is a Clinical Trial Right for Your Child? »