The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researchers contributed to two recent studies showing that extending cardiopulmonary resuscitation longer than previously thought useful saves lives in both children and adults.

By broadly comparing the DNA of children to that of elderly people, gene researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have identified gene variants that influence lifespan, either by raising disease risk or by providing protection from disease.

Frank Balis, MD, and John M. Maris, MD., recently announced the appointment of Lamia P. Barakat, Phd, to head the Section on Behavioral Oncology. Dr. Barakat is currently the Director of Psychosocial Services for the Division of Oncology, and she will be promoted to the rank of Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Pediatrics effective July 1st 2013.

A new study verifies the long-controversial belief that a few children, in exceptional cases, can "recover" from autism. The study is the first solid science to confirm that, however rarely, with the help of behavioral therapy some children can make such great improvements that they no longer qualify as having autism.

An extensive study of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma reinforces the challenges of treating the most aggressive forms of this disease. Contrary to expectations, the researchers found relatively few recurrent gene mutations — mutations that would suggest new targets for neuroblastoma treatment.

A team of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researchers has expanded next-generation gene sequencing tools designed to unlock the secrets hidden in nuclear DNA to analyze a separate source of DNA — that found within mitochondria.