Children's Health Research Center (CHRC)

The University of Michigan Child Health Research Center (CHRC) supports the research career development of promising young pediatric investigators. The long-term goal of this program is to advance our understanding of biological systems and disease processes related to child health. 

The CHRC was founded in 1991 and is funded by the NIH-NICHD as part of the Child Health Research Center Development Award (CHRCDA) Program.  The CHRC has contributed to the training of over 60 pediatric-investigators, the majority of whom have gone on to establish successful independent research programs designed to improve our understanding of childhood disease as well as develop new therapeutic approaches.

  • CHRC scholars receive up to $100,000 per year for salary support and $25,000 per year for operating expenses, up to a period of three years.
  • Mentorship and guidance is provided by the CHRC Leadership and senior investigators at the University of Michigan.  

We are actively recruiting talented junior pediatricians with particular efforts directed towards minority candidates to careers in academic pediatrics.  Trainees completing their residency in pediatrics, fellows in subspecialty training and junior faculty are eligible for this program. Investigators interested in applying of the program should contact Marc Hershenson M.D.  

CHRC Leadership

Principal Investigator: 

Donna M. Martin, M.D, Ph.D.  Ravitz Foundation Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases; Chair, Department of Pediatrics

Training Director:

Marc B. Hershenson, M.D. Frederick G.L. Huetwell Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases; Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology

CHRC Steering Committee:

Donna M. Martin, MD, PhD 
Marc B. Hershenson, MD
Daniel Clauw, MD
Carey N. Lumeng, MD, PhD
Jordan A. Shavit, MD, PhD
Sharon A. Singh, MD
David P. Olson, MD, PhD
Valerie P. Opipari, MD
Jack Parent, MD, PhD
Delia M. Vazquez, MD

External Advisory Committee:

D. Wade Clapp, MD
Richard L. Schreiner Professor and Chairman, Department of Pediatrics
Indiana University School of Medicine
Professor, Microbiology & Immunology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research
Physician-in-Chief, Riley Hospital for Children 
 
Patrick D. Brophy MD, MHCDS
William H. Eilinger Professor and Chair
Department of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Physician-in-Chief of the Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center
 
Linda McAllister-Lucas, MD, PhD
Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Department of Pediatrics
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

Current Scholars

  • Jennifer Yi-Chun Lai Yee, MD, MPH, PhD, Clinical Lectuer, Pediatrics-Nephrology
    Mentor: Jacob Kitzman, PhD
    Research: Precision medicine in nephrotic syndrome: Functionally classify WT1 missense and spliceogenic variants in cell model/kidney organoid system
  • David Svilar, MD, PhD, Clinical Lecturer, Pediatrics-Hematology/Onocolgoy
    Mentor:David Ginsburg, MD
    Research: Investigating blood vessel's role in thrombotic microangiopathy 
  • Sharon Singh, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics-Hematology/Oncology
    Mentor: James Doublas Engel, PhD
    Research: The role of Rpl5 haploinsufficiency in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell function in Diamond Blackfan anemia
  • Julie Ziobro, MD, PhD, Clinical Lecturer, Pediatrics-Neurology
    Mentor: Jack Parent, MD 
    Research: Development and characterization of a rodent model of PCDH19-related epilepsy

Recent Scholars

  • Daniel C. Peltier, MD, PhD, Clinical Lecturer, Pediatrics-Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan
    Mentor: Pavan Reddy, MD
    Research: Pathogenesis of allogeneic T-cell-mediated GVL and GVH
  • Gina M. Ney, MD, PhD, Staff Clinician, National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics
    Mentor(s): Qing Li, MD, PhD; Pavan Reddy, MD
    Research: Metabolic reprogramming in pre-leukemic hematopoietic stem cells, focusing on the role of oncogenic N-ras
  • Gabriel Cara-Fuentes, MD, PhD, Asst Professor, University of Colorado, Pediatrics, Nephrology
    Mentor: Puneet Garg, MD
    Research: Role of CD80 in Minimal Change Disease
  • Jessica L. Turnier, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Rheumatology, University of Michigan
    Mentor: J. Michelle Kahlenberg, MD, PhD
    Research: Role of podocytes and S100A4 in LN pathogenesis
  • Louis T. Dang, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Neurology, University of Michigan
    Mentor: Jack M. Parent, MD
    Research: Electrophysiological, biochemical, and pharmacological characterization of Dravet Syndrome patient-derived neurons
  • Angela C. Weyand, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan
    Mentor: Jordan A. Shavit, MD, PhD
    Research: Identifying genetic modifiers of coagulation; using ENU mutagenesis screen to identify suppressor or enhancer mutations in a zebrafish model of Factor V deficiency
  • Jennifer R. Bermick, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Neonatology, University of Iowa
    Mentor: Nicholas W. Lukacs, PhD
    Research: Epigenetic regulation of the premature immune system.
  • Challice L. Bonifant, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins Medicine
    Mentor: Pavan Reddy, MD
    Research: Enhancement of tumor killing adoptively transferred engineered T cells as treatment for AML.
  • Carl J. Koschmann, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of MichiganMentor:Maria G. Castro, PhD
    Research: Targeting ATRX-Deficient Pediatric Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM).