The Leda J. Sears Charitable Trust supports research in pediatric related projects at the Department of Child Health. Since 1991, the trust has donated more than $850,000 to fund pilot studies.
Dr. Judith Miles, professor emerita of genetics and pathology, received the first-ever Sears Trust gift. Her innovative research resulted in the creation of a multidisciplinary autism clinic, which received large external funding from the National Institutes of Health and evolved into the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, a nationally-recognized center for autism.
Each year, the department awards Sears Trust funding to faculty with primary or joint appointments in the Department of Child Health.
Sears Trust Guidelines:
- The Sears Trust has a year-round, rolling application process; there are no deadlines.
- The proposed research projects (clinical or basic science) must be related to children.
- Researchers can apply for up to $10,000 of funding per research proposal.
- There is no limit to the amount of applications each researcher can submit.
- All applications will be reviewed by invited external reviewers, and written feedback will be provided to all applicants.
- The award will be carried over a 12-month period after which remaining funds will be returned to the CHRI. Formal extension requests may be submitted and will be considered by the CHRI director.
- In case of leave or relocation to another department/university, the remaining balance can only be transferred to the project’s collaborating faculty within the Department of Child Health.
- Abstracts resulting from proposed projects must be presented at the School of Medicine's annual Health Sciences Research Day.
How to Apply:
Your application must contain the following details:
- Cover Page: Containing the project’s title and information regarding principal investigator(s).
- Research Plan: Typed using 11-point font size and at least 0.5-inch margins. It may not exceed three pages (excluding references) and must include the following:
- Specific aims
- Research strategy
- Hypothesis
- Significance
- Project summary
- References (not included in the three-page limit)
- Biographical sketches for all principal investigators
- Budget with justification (one page)
- Budget requests should not exceed $10,000 for this one-year study.
- Salary and fringe benefits for PIs is not allowable.
Submit applications to Dr. Kheirandish-Gozal.
Past Awardees
2020
- Dr. Adrienne Ohler Child Health Research Institute
The Role of Early Antibiotics in Obesity of Children from Low-Income Families
Awarded: $10,000 - Dr. Rene Cortese, Child Health Research Institute
Cellular heterogeneity in blood cells from children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea undergoing adenotonsillectomy.
Awarded: $31,500 - Dr. Rebekah Nevel, Dr. James Acton, Hannah Holzum, Pediatric Pulmonology
Cystic Fibrosis Food Pantry: Improving Food Security in Our Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Clinic
Awarded: $10,000
2019
- Dr. James Acton, Pediatric Pulmonology, Dr. Deborah Chance, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and Child Health, and Dr. Thomas Mawhinney, Agriculture Biochemistry and Child Health
Investigations of Effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phenazines on PA Sensitivities to Antimicrobial Agents in vitro
Awarded $8,000 - Dr. Rene Cortese, Child Health Research Institute
Study of cellular heterogeneity in mouse hippocampus after intermittent hypoxia exposures mimicking sleep apnea.
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Abdelnaby Khalyfa, Child Health Research Institute
Study of cellular heterogeneity in mouse cardiovascular system after intermittent hypoxia exposures mimicking sleep apnea.
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Benjamin Francisco, Pediatric Pulmonology, Dr. Paul Foreman, Pediatric Pulmonology, Dr. Douglas Steinley, Psychology, and Dr. Tammy Rood, Pediatric Pulmonology
Asthma Best Practices
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Tracy Stroud, Developmental Pediatrics, Dr. John Pardalos, Neonatology, and Dr. Elizabeth Malm-Buatsi, Surgery
University of Missouri Neonatal/High Risk Follow up Clinic Data Base Development Project
Awarded $10,000
2018
- Dr. Bindu Sathi, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Use of Echocardiogram Strain Technique to Detect Subclinical Myocardial Dysfunction Secondary to Iron Overload in Chronically Transfused Sickle Cell Anemia Patients
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Elizabeth Malm-Buatsi, Surgery
Comprehensive Analysis of Urinary Microbiome & Metabolomics in Kids w/Vesicoureteral Reflux & Renal Scarring
Awarded $12,000 - Dr. Benjamin Francisco, Pediatric Pulmonology
Asthma Best Practices (Empowerment)
Awarded $25,000 - Dr. Bindu Sathi, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Understanding Immunological Dysregulation in Sickle Cell Ds. and Alloimmunization
Awarded $19,995 - Dr. Judith Miles, Developmental Pediatrics, and Dr. Kerri Nowell, Health Psychology
Validation of Catatonia Impact Scale to young patient treatments w/Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Kristin Sohl, Developmental Pediatrics
Refugee Education and Advocacy for Child Health
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Charlotte Phillips, Biochemistry and Child Health
Impact of Congenic Myostatin Deficiency in Mouse Model of Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Awarded $24,784
2017
- Dr. Laura Hesemann, Pediatric Nephrology
Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) and Essential Hypertension
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Thomas Mawhinney, Agriculture Biochemistry and Child Health
Developing Novel Analytical and Cell-Based Approaches
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Judith Miles, Developmental Pediatrics, and Dr. Kerri Nowell, Health Psychology
Validation of Catatonia Impact Scale to young patient treatments w/Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Jaume Padilla, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
Vascular Insulin Resistance in Obesity: Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Habib Zaghouani, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Child Health, and Neurology
Immune Therapy of Type I Diabetes
Awarded $15,000
2016
- Dr. Judith Miles, Developmental Pediatrics, and Dr. Kerri Nowell, Health Psychology
Validation of Catatonia Impact Scale to young patient treatments w/Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Awarded $22,500 - Dr. Arayamparambil Anilkumar, Pediatric Neurology
Validation & Development of a Rapid Screening Tool for Dyslexia using NIH Stroke Scale
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Jaume Padilla, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
Vascular Insulin Resistance in Obesity: Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.
Awarded $4,565 - Dr. Habib Zaghouani, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Child Health, and Neurology
Immune Therapy of Type I Diabetes
Awarded $22,500 - Dr. Charlotte Phillips, Biochemistry and Child Health
Impact of Congenic Myostatin Deficiency in Mouse Model of Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Awarded $14,000
2015
- Dr. Kristin Sohl, Developmental Pediatrics
Refugee Education and Advocacy for Child Health
Awarded $10,000 - Dr. Habib Zaghouani, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Child Health, and Neurology
Immune Therapy of Type I Diabetes
Awarded $15,000 - Dr. Jaume Padilla, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
Vascular Insulin Resistance in Obesity: Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.
Awarded $9,980 - Dr. Charlotte Phillips, Biochemistry and Child Health
Impact of Congenic Myostatin Deficiency in Mouse Model of Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Awarded $10,000
2014
- Dr. Jaume Padilla, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
Vascular Insulin Resistance in Obesity: Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.
Awarded $9,826 - Dr. Habib Zaghouani, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Child Health and Neurology
Immune Therapy of Type I Diabetes
Awarded $14,734 - Dr. Charlotte Phillips, Biochemistry and Child Health
Impact of Congenic Myostatin Deficiency in Mouse Model of Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Awarded $24,561
2013
- Dr. Anjali Patwardhan, Pediatric Rheumatology
Difference in Cytokine-Chemokine Blood Levels in Patients with Autoimmune Diseases Who Are Obese & Those Not Obese
Awarded $16,087 - Dr. Michael Cooperstock and Dr. Michael Sherman, Pediatric Infectious Disease
Autoantibody Biomarkers in Autoimmune Encephalopathy (pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome)
Awarded $10,612 - Dr. Anuradha Rajagopalan, General Pediatrics
Streptococcal Disease in Children
Awarded $2,000
