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Participate in Clinical Research
Every medical breakthrough starts with research—and research starts with people like you. As either a clinical research participant or a member of our Research Family Advisory Committee, your involvement can help shape the future of patient care.
What is Clinical Research?
Clinical research has the goal of improving paediatric health and preventing illness through the study of individuals, cohorts, health systems and populations in Canada and around the world. Clinical research includes:
Observational Studies
Study associations between exposures and health outcomes at the individual or group level
Interventional Clinical Trials
Evaluate the safety and efficacy of treatments or other interventions
Population Health Research
Study how social determinants, health systems, and policies influence health outcomes at the population level
Clinical research spans the full continuum—from discovery bench research on human tissues or samples, to evaluating treatments through clinical trials, to implementing solutions within health systems to improve care. Clinical research aims to create evidence that directly informs patient care and health outcomes.
To ensure this research meets today’s ethical and scientific standards, the Research Ethics Board oversees all clinical studies, ensuring compliance with national and international regulations, guides and policies to protect participants’ privacy and safety.
At SickKids, we currently have...
3,000+ active studies
500+ clinical trials
2,700+ observational studies
Ways to get involved
Become a research participant
If you’re a patient or a parent of a child receiving care, you have the opportunity to participate in a research study! Talk to your clinical team about research studies in their area and visit our clinical study finder Research4Kids to learn about some research opportunities.
Join the Research Family Advisory Committee
If you’re a patient, family member, researcher, or clinician dedicated to enhancing patient-oriented research, you can join the RFAC!
As a subpart of the Family Advisory Network, the committee is made up of volunteers who meet monthly to provide advice on a wide range of research issues. These can include:
- identification of research priorities;
- reviews of patient-facing documentation;
- input on child and family centredness of research proposals; and
- developing research methodologies, reviews of research findings and knowledge translation materials.
If you’re interested in becoming a RFAC member, get in touch.
Our guiding strategy
Advancing child health through world-class clinical research
Our Clinical Research Strategy is designed to enable an integrated research-care ecosystem, strengthening how we provide oversight, support and connect research across SickKids.
Clinical research news
Clinical trial for teens shows improved health outcomes for type 1 diabetes
A new study in teenagers with type one diabetes shows promise in reducing chronic kidney disease and informing future precision care.
Clinical trial explores new approach to childhood brain cancer treatment
The first clinical trial to investigate treatment for childhood glioblastoma without radiation and chemotherapy has opened at SickKids.
Global clinical trial shows improved survival rates for common childhood leukemia
SickKids research will explore the diverse factors influencing childhood asthma to support more equitable and effective prevention strategies.
