Dr. Pete Mourani named president of Arkansas Children’s Research Institute

After an extensive national search, Arkansas Children’s has named Dr. Pete Mourani as president of Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) and senior vice president and chief research officer for the state’s only pediatric health system.

He will serve as the fifth president of ACRI and will join the Arkansas Children’s and UAMS health systems on Dec. 7. Dr. Mourani replaces Dr. Greg Kearns, who retired.

Dr. Mourani, who will also hold the position of professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care in the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), joins Arkansas Children’s from the University of Colorado and Children’s Colorado Hospital where he served as a professor of pediatrics in the Section of Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Mourani, who is board-certified in pediatric pulmonary and critical care medicine, has been an influential leader at Colorado Children’s in development of child health research strategy and clinical research programs and infrastructure. He has served as medical director of the Children’s Hospital Clinical Research Organization (CCRO) and most recently as medical director of the Children’s Hospital Colorado Research Institute.

“We know Dr. Mourani’s strong track record of NIH funding, his clinical research background, and his strong leadership skills will ensure Arkansas Children’s succeeds in our five-year strategic plan of fully integrating research across our entire system,” said Arkansas Children’s President & CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE. “Arkansas children face a brighter future as ACRI makes more discoveries and breakthroughs on their behalf with his guidance.”

Dr. Mourani, who will also hold the Ross and Mary Whipple Family Distinguished Research Scientist Endowed Chair at Arkansas Children’s, has maintained a consistent track record of NIH funding to support multi-center investigations focusing on pulmonary and pulmonary vascular disease in preterm infants, as well as projects investigating the pathogenesis and care of critically ill children with severe lower respiratory tract infection, including ventilator-associated pneumonia.

“Integrating research and innovation across the Arkansas Children’s system is an essential part of making children better today and healthier tomorrow,” Dr. Mourani said. “I’m thrilled to join and lead a team of nationally recognized scientists who are becoming a creative force in pediatric healthcare. Arkansans are already seeing new diagnostics, devices and therapeutics coming forward as a result of Arkansas Children’s efforts, and I look forward to leading us into the next era of child health.”

Dr. Mourani is the site principal investigator and steering committee member for the prestigious eight-site National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) supported Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network (CPCCRN), which performs impactful clinical research in the field of pediatric critical illness and injury.

ACRI will join the 24-site CPCCRN if a pending renewal application is accepted.