Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Launches David M. Einhorn Institute for Early Relational Health

$50 Million gift will pioneer a first-of-its-kind initiative to transform pediatric care and advance the science of human connection

PHILADELPHIA, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) announced today a $50 million gift from Einhorn Collaborative to establish the David M. Einhorn Institute for Early Relational Health (Einhorn Institute), advancing a new frontier in pediatric care focused on the science of human connection and its impact on health.

Decades of research demonstrate that early relational health is a vital component of lifelong wellbeing, but it is not yet a primary focus of pediatric care. The Einhorn Institute aims to innovate, scale, and implement much-needed pediatric interventions and clinical best practices to help every child and family thrive.

The Einhorn Institute will harness CHOP's expertise in research, clinical care, education, and policy to lead the science and practice of early relational health — the mutual, meaningful, and affirming moments of connection in the youngest relationships that are fundamental to healthy development. Through this work, CHOP aims to promote a universal, strengths-based model of child health that leverages early relationships to improve developmental outcomes, prevent illness, and promote child and family resiliency in primary pediatric care.

"This landmark gift will help transform how we support children and families by elevating the role of relationships in promoting healthy development," said Joseph Mitchell, MD, President of CHOP. "The Einhorn Institute will translate research into tangible tools, programs, and approaches that improve outcomes for children. We are deeply grateful to David Einhorn and his foundation, Einhorn Collaborative, for their vision, generosity, and partnership."

"Human connection is one of the most powerful and underappreciated forces shaping the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities, and our society at large," said David Einhorn, Founder and Trustee of Einhorn Collaborative and President of Greenlight Capital. "Through the Einhorn Institute, we have an opportunity to advance the science of human connection, transform pediatric practice, and create lasting benefits for children and families. CHOP is the ideal place to lead this effort."

Housed within CHOP's Research Institute, a priority of the Einhorn Institute is to design and rigorously test interventions that strengthen caregiver-child relationships across a wide range of settings and populations, with the goal of making early relational health a core component of universal pediatric care. As the nation's largest pediatric healthcare network, CHOP is uniquely positioned to integrate these principles into clinical practice, medical education, and training for future healthcare leaders. The Einhorn Institute will also leverage key CHOP collaborators — including PolicyLab, the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the Neuroscience Center, Clinical Futures, Center for Autism Research, and other leaders across CHOP's research and enterprise initiatives — as well as relationships with national organizations such as Reach Out and Read and Nurture Connection.

"The establishment of the Einhorn Institute represents a natural extension of our mission to translate scientific discovery into better outcomes for children everywhere," said Susan Furth, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at CHOP. "Our senior leadership team and I are excited to help define the emerging field of relational health and establish CHOP as the global leader in this new paradigm of scientific inquiry and pediatric medicine."

Led by Inaugural Director Dani Dumitriu, MD, PhD, who is coming from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Einhorn Institute will transform how pediatric clinicians and researchers understand, measure, and advance the critical dimension of human connection. On January 1, 2027, Dr. Dumitriu will also assume the role of David M. Einhorn Endowed Chair in Early Relational Health.

"Decades of research show that the quality of early relationships plays a central role in shaping brain development, influencing long-term mental and physical health, yet early relational health has not received the same level of scientific investment, measurement tools, or implementation strategies devoted to other drivers of health," said Dr. Dumitriu. "Our goal is to close this critical gap in pediatric care, capitalizing on the profound potential for early relational health to promote population-level outcomes when it is recognized to be as important as any other vital sign in pediatric care. This transformational gift from Einhorn Collaborative propels us toward developing real-world, scalable interventions that meaningfully support early relationships for every family."

An event is forthcoming to celebrate the official opening of the David M. Einhorn Institute for Early Relational Health and highlight its research priorities.

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. CHOP also operates the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia, the Behavioral Health and Crisis Center (including a 24/7 Crisis Response Center), and the Center for Advanced Behavioral Healthcare, a mental health outpatient facility. Its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu.

About Einhorn Collaborative
Einhorn Collaborative is a foundation dedicated to advancing the science and practice of social connection and social cohesion to address America's growing crisis of distrust and divisions. We work with a wide range of cultural influencers, researchers, community leaders, and funders to help Americans build stronger relationships, embrace our differences, and rediscover our shared humanity — so we can solve our most urgent challenges together. Learn more at einhorncollaborative.org.

Kaitlyn Dvorin
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
610-618-0542 (cell)
[email protected]

Led by Inaugural Director Dani Dumitriu, MD, PhD, who is coming from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Einhorn Institute will transform how pediatric clinicians and researchers understand, measure, and advance the critical dimension of human connection. On January 1, 2027, Dr. Dumitriu will also assume the role of David M. Einhorn Endowed Chair in Early Relational Health.

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia