The Research Institute at The Montreal Children's Hospital was formally established in 1966 as a partnership between McGill University and the hospital in order to promote and facilitate excellence in child health research. In 1996, the Institute joined other research centres at McGill University to establish the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.
Today, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at The Montreal Children's Hospital has major research strengths in the fields of genetics, public health and preventive medicine, growth and development, oncology, psychosocial problems and cardio-respiratory health. Other important research domains include endocrine and renal disease, infection and immunity, musculoskeletal disorders and neuroscience. Research activity is conducted at The Montreal Children's Hospital and two satellite facilities within a block of the Hospital.
The Montreal Children's Hospital has over 100 clinical and basic scientists, nearly 50 of whom hold grants from peer-reviewed agencies such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute of Canada, and the International Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Other personnel include over 80 research assistants and over 100 graduate students and research fellows.
During the 2010-11 academic year, 93 graduate students, 22 post-doctoral and research fellows and 29 residents and clinical fellows were involved in child health research projects at The Montreal Children's Hospital. Supervised by staff affiliated with McGill University and The Montreal Children's Hospital, the majority of trainees are enrolled in various departments at McGill University including Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Nutrition and Dietetics, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Experimental Medicine, Experimental Surgery, Human Genetics, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Nursing, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Psychiatry, Psychology and Rehabilitation Science. Prospective trainees must be enrolled in McGill's Faculty of Graduate Studies prior to acceptance for research training at the hospital.