SickKids is No. 1 for researcher intensity on Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals 2019 list

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is pleased to be recognized by Research Infosource as one of Canada's Top 40 Research Hospitals for 2019.

SickKids remains in the number two position among Canada’s leading research hospitals on the overall list, second only to the University Health Network, which comprises four hospitals.

SickKids is No. 1 for researcher intensity

This year, SickKids holds the number one spot for "researcher intensity" (research spending per researcher) among medium-sized hospitals – up from number two last year.

“We are excited to maintain our spot as one of the top 40 research hospitals in Canada, and to rank number one for researcher intensity this year,” says Dr. Michael Salter, Chief of Research. “This ranking highlights our commitment to supporting our scientists’ breakthrough work across the breadth of child health research, and to our role as a children’s research hospital that is defining the new approaches that will improve the health of children around the world.”

For the fourth year in a row, SickKids holds the number one rank for "hospital intensity" (research spending as a percentage of total hospital spending) among medium-sized hospitals. SickKids also holds the fifth position for overall "research spending growth."

The annual Top 40 Research Hospitals list examines research hospitals across the country. According to Research Infosource, the total research spending for Canada’s research hospitals, hospital networks and health authorities was nearly $2.76 billion in fiscal 2018. This represents a 2.9% per cent increase in spending from the previous year.

SickKids research highlights from AI to autism

SickKids scientists and research teams led exciting new clinical and scientific advances and discoveries across our seven research programs this past year, and excelled in national funding competitions. From artificial intelligence to autism research, here are a few highlights from 2019:

• Appointed SickKids’ first Chair for Biomedical Informatics and Artificial Intelligence
• Researchers discover a new cancer-driving mutation in the “dark matter” of cancer genome
• Development of a world-first roadmap to guide meaningful application of machine learning in patient care
• SickKids-led study first to reverse progression of muscular dystrophy in mice using a modified version of CRISPR
• Study identifies new potential target in glioblastoma
• Canada, EU, and Africa combine to allow researchers to analyze health data on the largest, most diverse scale
• Team finds new insight into gene mutations associated with autism
• Machine learning could eliminate unnecessary treatments for children with arthritis
• SickKids researchers awarded over $11.5 million in CIHR Foundation Grants competition
• SickKids scientists named new Canada Research Chairs

As Canada’s largest, hospital-based child health research institute, SickKids strives to achieve research excellence, driven by our vision of Healthier Children. A Better World. SickKids’ research programs cover the spectrum of child health from wellness and normal development to causes of diseases, diagnostics, treatments and therapies. SickKids research teams also have access to over a dozen scientific core facilities at the SickKids Research Institute, with access to specialized technical platforms, scientific expertise and highly skilled personnel to enhance the scope and quality of research.

To view the complete list of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals, visit the Research Infosource website.