Clinical Futures is powering progress in pediatric care. As a Center of Emphasis within the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Research Institute, one of the largest pediatric research institutes in the country, we are committed to improving the care delivered to children. The Center consists of dynamic multidisciplinary teams of clinicians, researchers, biostatisticians, and public health experts dedicated to advancing the conduct and outcomes of clinical research for children. We also provide our own funding to launch innovative research projects through two pilot grant programs. 

Watch this video to learn more about who we are and the value of the work we do. 

Our Mission: 

Clinical Futures utilizes innovative methods to create, translate, and disseminate epidemiological, health services, and clinical research-based evidence and interventions that improve children’s health and family wellbeing. 

Our Vision: 

Clinical Futures aims to be the thriving research home for clinical investigators to improve child health and family wellbeing. 

Clinical Futures originated as part of the Pediatric Generalist Research Group at CHOP, which was formed to perform health services research. In 2007, the Pediatric Generalist Research Group split into two centers, the Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness (CPCE) and PolicyLab. CPCE began a strategic planning initiative in 2019 to clarify the Center’s vision and enhance our impact on the field of pediatric clinical effectiveness research. In 2022, CPCE underwent a renaming process to become Clinical Futures. With this new name we hope to better position ourselves as a leader in pediatric effectiveness research and build and create a better future in the lives of the children and families we serve. 

Director Alex Fiks, MD, MSCE, leads a team of core faculty members who are general pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists, along with a staff of research assistants, research associates, data analysts, and research administrators. This dedicated team of experts collaborates to advance methods to improve pediatric health outcomes.  

To promote clinical effectiveness research at CHOP, the center 

• mentors fellows and young faculty 
• provides resources including pilot grants, grant writing services, and data services 
• educates our researchers in the methods of clinical effectiveness  
• disseminates knowledge gained from research findings 
• partners with other groups and Centers of Emphasis at CHOP to implement best practices to improve the quality of care delivered to our patients 

Our work focuses on six methodological pillars to promote clinical effectiveness research at CHOP: 

• Biostatistics 
• Clinical Epidemiology 
• Clinical Trials 
• Comparative Effectiveness 
• Implementation Science 
• Social Science Methods In Healthcare Delivery (Mixed-Methods) 

These pillars and our work are guided by a strategic plan, which outlines our vision and goals of progressing clinical effectiveness research into the future of pediatric care. We’re increasing our capacity to strengthen our center and serve patients and their families.