Founded in 2010 through a $150 million gift from the government of Abu Dhabi, the mission of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation (SZI) is to make pediatric surgery more precise, less invasive, and pain free.

In its very short existence, the Institute lists among many achievements creating a strong infrastructure for R&D and a network of product and medical device development experts, and seasoned veterans in venture capital, technology commercialization, and intellectual property. The institute is process-driven and outcome-focused. It is comprised of multi-disciplinary teams that apply rigorous process management from conception to marketed product through creative partnerships in academia and industry. 

The Institute was founded with four major clinical themes to transform pediatric surgical innovation and intervention. These are in:

  • pediatric pain and anesthesia

  • immunology

  • bioengineering

  • systems biology

The Institute currently has more than 20 investigators primarily affiliated with the institute and more than 70 technical and scientific staff, including postgraduate and graduate students and fellows. The Institute is further supported by, and has access to, more than 600 clinicians and clinician-scientists with Children’s National Hospital and the Research and Education, the research arm of Children’s National.

With the aim of harnessing of the full power of science and technology to make treatment as precise as it can possibly be, the Institute team has more than 40 projects underway that focus upon medical devices, drugs and biologics, and healthcare software including Digital Dysmorphology: Automated Early Detection of Genetic Syndromes from Photography, IGNITE: Optimization of Treatment Planning of Non-Invasive Therapy with MR-HIFU, On-Demand Dissolvable Ear Tube, and Minimally-Invasive Pacemaker/Defibrillator.

Bioengineering

Sheik Zayed Institute’s bioengineering program harnesses the full power of science and technology to make treatment for pediatric patients as precise as it can possibly be, focusing on medical devices, healthcare software, drugs and biologics.

Immunology and Molecular Biology

The Center for Cancer and Immunology Research studies the molecular and cellular basis for cancer, autoimmune, neurofibromatosis and infectious diseases, and develops experimental therapies for children with these illnesses. The investigators conduct high impact studies on brain cancer, immune regulation, stem cells and molecular pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus, as it relates to pediatric AIDS.

Pain Medicine

The Sheik Zayed Institute’s Pain Medicine Care Complex is one of the few in the country that focuses exclusively on managing pain for infants, children and teens. When children are unable to express their pain in words, our pediatric specialists have the unique insight to help. The Care Complex draws on multidisciplinary approach to enable enhanced treatment of a child’s physical symptoms as well as psychological and emotional aspects of pain. The Care Compex uses unique video gaming therapy, holistic therapeutic tools and digital data to measure patient progress.

TESTIMONALS

Best Clinic Services Provide

Nancy Bauman

Nancy Bauman, MD

Director, Aerodigestive Clinic – Co-Director Vascular Anomaly Clinic – Otolaryngologist

Charles Berul

Charles Berul, MD

Division Chief, Cardiology – Co-Director, Children’s National Heart Institute – Electrophysiologist

Daniel Casella

Daniel Casella, MD

Director, Urology Fellowship – Urologist

Haydar-Celik

Haydar Celik, Ph.D

Principal Investigator

Kolaleh Eskandanian

Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., P.M.P

Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Children’s National Hospital – Executive Director, Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation

Julia Finkel

Julia Finkel, MD

Anesthesiologist – Acute Pain Specialist, Sheikh Zayed Research Faculty

Marius George Linguraru, DPhil, MA, MSc

Principal Investigator

Richard-Jaepyeong-Cha

Richard Jaepyeong Cha, Ph.D

Timothy Kane

Timothy Kane, MD

Division Chief, General and Thoracic Surgery

Reza-Monfraredi

Reza Monfaredi, Ph.D

Evan Nadler

Evan Nadler, MD

Director, Bariatric Surgery Program – Co-Director, Obesity Program

Laura Olivieri

Laura Olivieri, MD

Advanced Imaging Cardiologist

Nikki Posnack

Nikki Posnack, Ph.D

Principal Investigator

Diego Preciado

Diego A. Preciado, M.D., Ph.D

Vice Chief, Pediatric Otolaryngology – Director, Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship – Co-Director of the Cochlear Implant Program

Kevin-Cleary

Kevin Cleary, Ph.D

Technical Director, Bioengineering Initiative

Anthony Sandler, M.D

Senior Vice President and Surgeon-in-Chief, Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care – Director, Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation

Karun Sharma

Karun Sharma, MD

Director, Interventional Radiology

Raj Shekhar, Ph.D

Principal Investigator