ORANGE : CHOC to Open New Research Center

Children’s Hospital of Orange County, already a major pediatric research institution, expects to advance even further with the opening today of an expanded research center.

The $2-million center, among other things, provides for research into childhood rheumatology, such as arthritis and lupus, and hematology.

“The new center occupies the entire fifth floor of CHOC’s new Clinic-Research Building,” said Andrea Pronk, a spokeswoman for the hospital. “The center has 13,000 square feet--three times the size of our former research center.”

The CHOC medical complex, including the new Clinic-Research Building, is at 455 S. Main St. Opening ceremonies are scheduled this afternoon for the research center.

“Our research center is already well respected for its ongoing research in the area of pediatric cancer, bone-marrow transplantation and diabetes,” Pronk said. “Now with the opening of the new center, we also can expand our efforts into the areas of rheumatology and hematology. Hematology includes blood disorders such as hemophilia.”

Dr. Mitchell Cairo, director of cancer research and bone marrow transplantation at CHOC, said the medical knowledge obtained from the new center can immediately help young patients.

“We are conducting state-of-the-art research which will directly impact the lives of our own patients at CHOC as well as patients at other medical centers,” Cairo said.