DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pediatric clinical research networks have a sustained, fifty year record of advancing pediatric care. Although network models and missions vary, they can generally be defined as multi-institutional groups "conducting research on human subjects or data from human subjects that is relevant to improving the quality of human health." Pediatric clinical research networks have been highly productive in their individual endeavors, but face the challenges of maximizing efficiency and effectiveness in generating new knowledge about how best to care for children. We suggest that meaningful and sustained collaboration between networks would enhance the pediatric clinical research enterprise by optimizing network function. To this end, we propose a series of conferences to bring together leaders representing pediatric research networks of diverse clinical specialties, patient populations, and stages of network development along with representatives of other national pediatric organizations, as well as research program staff from the National Institutes of Health and other federal funders. The conference series will provide a forum for leaders of networks to share research agendas, identify common barriers, pinpoint best practices, and establish cross-network communication. An ultimate aim of this series is to further investigate the establishment of a stable coalition of networks to enhance pediatric network research function via collaboration. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), with 60,000 members comprising 80% of the nation's board certified pediatricians, is uniquely positioned to assemble this diverse group of networks because it: possesses over two decades of first hand experience in pediatric clinical network research, bridges the worlds of pediatric practice and academics, spans the domains of pediatric specialists and generalists, and is currently engaged in efforts to enhance the pediatric clinical research infrastructure, including a particular focus on pediatric clinical research networks. The objectives of the conference series, extending over a three-year period, are to: (1) bring together network leaders to identify shared interests and identify barriers common to inter-institutional collaborations; (2) provide mechanisms for network leaders to exchange strategies and share best practices to promote efficient and effective network research; (3) help networks explore opportunities for cross-network collaboration, including the possibility of a stable coalition of networks that would enhance research network function; and (4) link networks to entities within the AAP (e.g. committees, subspecialty sections, chapters) and partnering organizations to expand venues for pursuing collaborative research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANE: Pediatric clinical research networks will meet to address the practical and methodological challenges of conducting clinical research in child health. This project will strengthen the public health by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of these networks.

Wasserman, Richard, MD, MPH Project Narrative Pediatric clinical research networks will meet to address the practical and methodological challenges of conducting clinical research in child health. This project will strengthen the public health by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of these networks.