The visit brought together representatives from 17 U.K. health technology companies, senior clinicians from the National Health Service (NHS), and Children’s National leaders for a half-day program focused on the future of pediatric care.
Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Children’s National, opened the event by noting the importance of shared problem-solving. “We face challenges in delivering pediatric healthcare across the globe,” he said. “This campus provides a place where we can identify problems and work together to find solutions.” Dr. Kuppermann also shared updates on plans for continued expansion at the CNRIC, including the addition of a new building to create more opportunities for discovery and collaboration.
From the U.K. perspective, Sophie Green, ABHI International Accelerator Manager, introduced her organization and its global reach. ABHI represents 400 member companies and has been advancing health technology for 35 years, with partnerships in the United States beginning more than a decade ago at the University of Texas at Austin. She underscored the value of collaboration with Children’s National to accelerate the adoption of innovations designed for pediatric care.
The program’s centerpiece was a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Kuppermann and featuring leaders from across Children’s National and the health innovation community. Panelists were asked to identify the most pressing pediatric health challenges facing the U.S. and the U.K. Responses spanned from systemic issues to workforce development. “We need to think carefully about the future portfolio of a hospital,” said Donna Anthony, MPH, Chief Strategy Officer. Meanwhile, Alda Mizaku, MS, Chief Data & AI Officer, pointed to the importance of building strong protections for health data. Marius George Linguraru, DPhil, MA, MSc, Director of the Pediatric Accelerated Intelligence Lab, emphasized the need to train the next generation of pediatric specialists while addressing the high cost of healthcare.
Panelists also reflected on the promise of international partnerships. Elizabeth Wells, MD, MHS, Senior Vice President of the Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine Center, described Children’s National’s role in global clinical trials. “We see trials as a baseline standard of care,” she said, noting that international consortia are driving advances in pediatric neuroscience. Dr. Linguraru highlighted work with King’s College London and the Gates Foundation to develop lighter, faster, and more affordable MRI technologies for children. Dr. Kuppermann spoke about efforts to build an institute for global and environmental health, citing a large trial on sepsis involving 10,000 children across Australia and New Zealand. “Our most important collaborations are with people who look different from us,” he said.
When asked what excites them most about digital innovation, panelists pointed to opportunities to bring healthcare closer to children and families. “Those in areas of low resources are extremely excited for advances in technology,” said Dr. Linguraru. “Healthcare is moving closer to home, and we are truly approaching personalized, preventive care.”
The program also featured rapid-fire “speed pitches” from U.K. health tech companies working in fields from AI-driven diagnostics to novel surgical tools. Presenters included Adaptix, VitVio, Haigh, Directed Systems, Newton’s Tree, Daiser, Sqilline, MeGi, Neurex and OpenMedical, among others. The session sparked conversations about how international startups can connect with U.S. pediatric health systems to refine and scale their technologies.
The event concluded with open networking, underscoring the central purpose of the CNRIC: to bring together researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to accelerate innovation in child health. As Dr. Kuppermann noted in closing, “This campus is a hub for novel discoveries and collaboration. By creating connections with global partners, we are building the future of pediatric care.”
Contact: William-Jose Velez Gonzalez
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