The Charles H. Hood Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of our January 2026 Child Health Research Awards, recognizing five early-career investigators whose innovative research projects have the potential to make significant advances in pediatric health.
These awards support high-impact, hypothesis-driven research that addresses critical gaps in our understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood diseases. From uncovering the origins of autoimmune relapse to improving the safety of dengue vaccines, this cohort of awardees is pushing the boundaries of child health science.
Meet the January 2026 Awardees:
Dr. Margaret Chang
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital
Project: Intraocular Resident Memory T Cells in Chronic Uveitis in Children
Dr. Silvia Galván Peña
Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Project: The Diet-Microbiome-Immune Trifecta: Understanding its Impact on Child Health
Dr. Sahin Naqvi
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital
Project: Tuning SOX10 Dosage in Stem Cell Therapies for Hirschsprung Disease
Dr. Chantal Vogels
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases), Yale School of Public Health
Project: Uncovering the Potential for Dengue Virus Escape from Vaccine-Induced Immunity
Dr. Jin Zhang
Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Project: Diet-driven Tongue Epithelium Reprogramming and Taste Desensitization
About the Child Health Research Awards Program
The Hood Foundation’s Child Health Research Awards Program supports early-career scientists at a pivotal point in their careers, providing essential funding to launch independent research programs. Since its inception, the program has enabled countless investigators to pursue novel questions in child health and go on to secure long-term research funding.
We award grants to outstanding proposals from institutions across New England and beyond. Each funded project addresses urgent and unmet needs in pediatric health, spanning fields such as genetics, immunology, mental health, rare diseases, and more.
Learn More
To explore previous awardees, see current funding opportunities, or learn more about the Child Health Research Awards Program, visit our Child Health Awards page.
Hood Foundation Announces Participation in Children’s Health Innovation Challenge
April 21, 2026
The Charles H. Hood Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the September 2026 funding cycle of the Child Health Research Awards Program, which supports early-career investigators pursuing innovative research to improve child health.
