Friday, December 12, 2025
Pediatric research participants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center and The Children’s Inn at NIH received an unforgettable surprise this week when WWE Superstars visited the campus to spend time with young research participants and their families. The visit marks the beginning of a new friendship between WWE and NIH, with future events, visits and opportunities to connect WWE Superstars with the brave children facing serious or rare medical conditions.
During the event, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya highlighted the Clinical Center’s ongoing efforts to expand its capabilities in pediatric intensive care, particularly for children with rare diseases and complex disorders. Dr. Bhattacharya underscored NIH’s commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety and excellence in clinical research as the hospital continues to strengthen specialized pediatric services.
“Our mission at the NIH Clinical Center is to provide world-class, research-driven care to study participants who often have limited treatment options,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “Enhancing our pediatric intensive care capabilities will allow us to offer even more comprehensive support to families while advancing groundbreaking scientific discovery.”
The NIH Clinical Center is the nation’s clinical research hospital and has served as the site of numerous medical breakthroughs for more than 70 years. As the only hospital in the country dedicated entirely to clinical research, it plays a central role in translating laboratory discoveries into new diagnostics, treatments, and cures. The Clinical Center’s integrated research and clinical care model allows scientific findings to be applied immediately in patient settings, accelerating progress for conditions that often lack effective therapies. State-of-the-art imaging, laboratory, and surgical facilities support this work, providing the tools needed to diagnose and treat complex medical conditions. Multidisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses, scientists, and allied health professionals work collaboratively to deliver comprehensive, research-informed care.
The hospital maintains a long-standing commitment to participant-focused research, and the Clinical Center does not bill research participants or their insurance. Research conducted at the
NIH Clinical Center has led to advances in pediatric oncology, immunology, genetic and metabolic disorders, and many other areas affecting children with rare and difficult-to-treat conditions.
Individuals interested in enrolling in a clinical trial at the NIH Clinical Center can search for studies by condition, age group, and NIH institute at https://clinicalstudies.info.nih.gov. The NIH Clinical Center’s Patient Recruitment Office is also available to assist with identifying an appropriate study and can be reached at 1-833-411-1222. Physicians may contact Clinical Center investigators to refer or discuss patients who could benefit from specialized research expertise.
Pediatric research participants and their families may also receive support services through The Children’s Inn, which provides lodging and a home-like environment during treatment.
The Clinical Center offers a range of training opportunities for recent graduates, medical and nursing students, and early-career clinical researchers interested in translational science and patient-oriented research. Additional information is available at https://cc.nih.gov/training.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
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