Research and Scholarly Activity

Clinical Research

Pediatrics Research and Scholarly ActivityUSF faculty and trainees are actively engaged in a broad range of research and scholarly activities. Several divisions have established clinical research programs:

  • The Division of Infectious Disease participates in national and international projects that focus on HIV treatment, testing and community outreach, and the evaluation of novel antiviral therapies.
  • The Division of Child Development is investigating evidence-based approaches for children with challenging behaviors, and has an on-going project to help caregivers deal with negative behaviors in children.
  • The Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry conducts research on a wide range of neuropsychiatric conditions including pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders, Tourette’s disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, tics, autism, and medical and behavioral treatments for these conditions.
  • The Division of Genetics and Metabolism participates in multiple national and international research trials for patients with inborn errors of metabolism. The focus of the trials is to identify new treatments for rare disorders. 
  • The Division of Neonatology conducts clinical research for improvements in neonatal care. USF Neonatology is intricately involved with Florida's Prenatal Quality Collaborative to improve the ability for the neonates to survive and thrive.

In addition, The University of South Florida Clinical Trials Matching Service offers patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals a matching service for clinical studies at USF and other research affiliates across the Tampa Bay region. 

Basic Science Research

The Department’s basic science research is primarily conducted at the Children’s Research Institute in St. Petersburg, which houses the following research programs:

  • The Molecular Genetics Laboratory focuses on developmental immunology.
  • The Allergy/Immunology Laboratory focuses on HIV, developmental immunology and its relation to the development of immune deficiency in children and adolescents.
  • The Neonatology Research Laboratory investigates placental development, and development of the fetal immune system.

Epidemiology Research

The Pediatric Epidemiology Center is comprised of a diverse team of experts in biostatistics, epidemiology, health informatics, computer science and nutrition and public health. They are currently involved in a wide range of national and international projects that are working to improve health care delivery, and to improve research on many different diseases.