Boston Children's Hospital

About

Boston Children's Hospital stands at a remarkable intersection of pediatric medicine and cutting-edge robotics and biomedical engineering, making it one of the most distinctive research institutions in the world. With a research portfolio spanning medical robotics, neurostimulation, soft robotics, and organ-on-chip technologies, the institution has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is clinically and technologically possible — particularly in service of vulnerable patient populations including children and those with complex congenital conditions. The hospital's contributions to medical robotics are both sweeping and deeply impactful. Researchers here have helped shape the global conversation on autonomous surgical systems, publishing landmark work on regulatory, ethical, and legal frameworks for medical robot autonomy, as well as comprehensive decade-long retrospectives on the field's evolution. Their pioneering development of soft robotic devices — including a bio-inspired wearable ankle-foot rehabilitation system and a soft robotic sleeve for cardiac support — exemplifies their commitment to translating biological principles into life-changing clinical tools. Work on continuum and concentric tube robots has opened new frontiers in minimally invasive pediatric surgery, while autonomous intracardiac catheter navigation points toward a future of precision robotic intervention. Beyond robotics, Boston Children's has made seminal contributions in transcranial magnetic stimulation safety guidelines, organ chip vascularization, and genomic research. Their robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedures in children have established new clinical standards with rigorously documented outcomes. With over 1,400 citations on TMS safety guidelines alone and consistently high-impact publications across *Science Robotics* and *Science Translational Medicine*, Boston Children's Hospital offers prospective students and collaborators a uniquely multidisciplinary environment where engineering innovation directly saves young lives.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Safety and recommendations for TMS use in healthy subjects and patient populations, with updates on training, ethical and regulatory issues: Expert Guidelines

   1,471 citations · 2020
2. 2
   The grand challenges of <i>Science Robotics</i>

   1,134 citations · 2018
3. 3
   Medical robotics—Regulatory, ethical, and legal considerations for increasing levels of autonomy

   682 citations · 2017
4. 4
   Design and control of a bio-inspired soft wearable robotic device for ankle–foot rehabilitation

   491 citations · 2014
5. 5
   A decade retrospective of medical robotics research from 2010 to 2020

   479 citations · 2021
6. 6
   Quantitative prediction of human pharmacokinetic responses to drugs via fluidically coupled vascularized organ chips

   463 citations · 2020
7. 7
   Ribosomal Protein L5 and L11 Mutations Are Associated with Cleft Palate and Abnormal Thumbs in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Patients

   417 citations · 2008
8. 8
   Soft robotic sleeve supports heart function

   417 citations · 2017
9. 9
   Robotic fluidic coupling and interrogation of multiple vascularized organ chips

   401 citations · 2020
10. 10
    Self-assembly of three-dimensional prestressed tensegrity structures from DNA

    383 citations · 2010

Faculty & Researchers

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