Heart Research Institute Heart Research Institute

Much still remains unknown about how a child’s heart develops, responds to treatment and heals. The institute is studying the biology of heart growth and recovery to help clinicians detect problems earlier, better predict outcomes and choose the best care for each child.

Researchers are investigating how individual children’s hearts respond to medications and cardiopulmonary bypass. They are also uncovering how plastics in medical supplies and blood banking practices affect heart function and recovery after cardiac surgery.

Learn more about our plastics research and individualized medication response

Through a state-of-the-art biorepository, the institute also collaborates with partners to understand how congenital heart disease and its treatments affect immune system development, and how invasive treatments such as implanted ventricular assist devices affect immune function.

Learn more about the impacts of congenital heart disease on the immune system.

Congenital heart disease and cardiac surgery carry substantial risks for brain injury and lifelong neuropsychological challenges, including developmental delays, learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Heart Research Institute is advancing science and care that connect heart and brain health, strengthen support for families and promote long-term well-being.

Researchers are developing new ways to protect the brain during cardiac surgery, including innovations in cardiopulmonary bypass. They are studying the long-term neurological effects of cardiac surgery to better understand risks and guide care for patients and families. The institute is also pioneering the use of artificial intelligence to help monitor patients during surgery and in the Cardiac ICU. Learn more about neurological outcomes research.

Families affected by pediatric heart disease also experience stress and anxiety, especially in intensive care settings. These burdens can persist long after discharge. There is an innovative nurse-led research and clinical care improvement initiative at Children’s National that focuses on reducing parent and infant stress in the cardiac ICU and supports better lifelong outcomes. Learn more about the program.

Researchers are also addressing quality of life in children affected by heart disease and other pediatric chronic illnesses that affect cardiopulmonary function. A new holistic cardiac rehabilitation program – Qualirehab – combines cardiopulmonary fitness interventions with patient education and psychosocial care to improve overall well-being and quality of life. Learn more about cardiac rehabilitation and Qualirehab.   

Our Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Program (CANDO) supports cognitive health from infancy through young adulthood. As the only program of its kind in the Washington, D.C., area, it provides comprehensive evaluations and treatment planning, in coordination with each child’s medical team and other community professionals. 

More than 2 million children and adults in the United States live with congenital heart disease. Many have complex, chronic conditions that require lifelong specialty care and multiple interventions or reoperations. The Heart Research Institute advances studies to improve lifelong care and well-being for every patient.

Hospital experts created the Children's National Cardiac Outcomes Registry (CNCORe) to examine decades of cardiac surgery outcomes and better understand how different surgical techniques impact each child's unique case. This data helps inform surgical practice and supports families in making informed care decisions.

Explore cardiac surgery long-term outcomes data

Children’s National follows kids into adulthood through our Washington Adult Congenital Heart (WACH) Program, one of 54 ACHA-accredited programs nationwide. Its physician-investigators lead research to understand long-term outcomes, complications and quality of life in adults with congenital heart disease, using patient registries and clinical data to improve lifelong care and identify gaps in treatment and follow-up. 

Transforming heart care requires science and smart technology working together. The Heart Research Institute brings these together to uncover new insights and develop better tools to understand heart disease and improve care for children. 

Cardiac devices designed specifically for pediatric patients are critically needed. Adapting adult devices for children often results in equipment that is too large or poorly suited to pediatric congenital heart conditions. Investigators are collaborating to develop less-invasive devices tailored to fit the smallest patients. 

Learn more about innovative heart rhythm devices

Researchers are also developing cutting-edge techniques to analyze complex imaging data from echocardiography and cardiac MRI to guide treatment and surgical planning. Using advanced 3D, 4D and 5D flow imaging and computational fluid dynamics, teams are gaining new insights into cardiac structure and function to enhance care strategies. 

Read about our advanced cardiac imaging research

Children in under-resourced communities face greater health risks. They are more likely to develop heart disease, and among children born with heart conditions, nearly twice as likely to die after heart surgery. Daily challenges, like food insecurity, environmental and air pollution, and how far they live from a specialty care center, can shape the care they receive and their outcomes. Our Heart Research Institute is uncovering how these struggles impact heart health to help ensure every child can get the care they need.

New research is examining how environmental and social factors influence congenital heart disease risk and recovery in children. Early findings suggest that factors such as maternal nutrition and air quality may influence heart development and surgical outcomes. By identifying these connections, Children’s National scientists hope to uncover new opportunities for prevention and improve long-term health. Learn more about research on the environment and congenital heart disease.