WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Andrew Michael South, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Pediatric Nephrology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant to support the continued expansion of the Study of the Epidemiology of Pediatric Hypertension (SUPERHERO), a national research network focused on improving outcomes for children and adolescents with high blood pressure.
The R01 award represents a major milestone for the SUPERHERO initiative, providing support to expand one of the largest collaborative pediatric hypertension research networks in North America. The study brings together hospitals and healthcare systems across the continent to collect and analyze real-world clinical data, helping researchers better understand how hypertension affects youth and identify the most effective approaches to care.
“Receiving R01 funding is a tremendous achievement and an important step forward for this collaborative effort,” said South. “This support will allow us to accelerate research that can improve the lives of children and adolescents living with hypertension and reduce their risk for future heart and kidney disease.”
Launched in 2021 as a pilot collaboration between Brenner Children’s Hospital and Levine Children’s Hospital, SUPERHERO has grown to include approximately 20 participating sites across North America. Early data from participating institutions includes information from more than 13,000 young patients, creating an unprecedented resource for pediatric hypertension research.
The project has benefited from close collaboration with the Wake Forest Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), including partnerships with informatics and biostatistics experts who have helped develop innovative data infrastructure and analytics capabilities that support the study’s growth and impact.
SUPERHERO aims to answer critical questions about youth-onset hypertension, including its long-term effects on cardiovascular and kidney health and which treatment strategies lead to the best outcomes. The new NIH funding will help expand the registry’s reach, strengthen research capabilities, and support the development of an integrated clinical trial network focused on advancing evidence-based care for young patients.
“This award reflects the power of collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to improving pediatric health,” South said. “We are grateful to our research partners, participating sites, patients, and families who have made this work possible.”
About SUPERHERO
The Study of the Epidemiology of Pediatric Hypertension (SUPERHERO) is a multi-site research registry and collaborative network dedicated to improving understanding and treatment of hypertension in children and adolescents. By uniting clinicians, researchers, data scientists, and healthcare systems across North America, SUPERHERO is advancing research that informs evidence-based care and improves long-term health outcomes for youth.