The Capital Institute of Pediatrics (CIP) was founded in 1958, formerly the Institute of Pediatrics, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS). It was the first research institution of its kind set up then in China, specializing in child health care and basic research, prevention and treatment of childhood disorders, with tasks of medical services for children and higher education for college students. In 1983 its ownership was changed from CAMS to Beijing Municipal Health Bureau. In 1986 the Affiliated Children’s Hospital started business. There are 1,100-odd staff members in the CIP, mostly professionals (84%), including 126 with senior academic titles, six national-level and municipal-level experts with “outstanding contributions”, 22 enjoying the governmental subsidy. The CIP covers land area of 28,815 square meters with total building space of some 100,000 square meters. Since the 1990s, the CIP has won first prize of Reform and Development eight times and the title of Capital Civilized Unit 12 times.

　　With developing steadily for 50 years, the CIP has three key research teams, respectively for child care and group medicine, gene and biotechnology in child diseases, diagnosis and treatment of child infection. At present, it consists of 10 departments: IECD, Health and Development, Epidemiology, Growth and Development, Virology, Bacteriology, Biochemistry, Molecular Immunology, Biomedical Engineering, Genetics. Every year it assumes over 100 research projects including National Key Projects 863 and 973, National or Beijing Municipal Funding Projects for Natural Science, so far has won seven national prizes and more than 70 ministerial and municipal prizes for its efforts to advance science and technology.

　　In the institute there are three international and national centers and a municipal high-tech laboratory: WHO Collaborating Center for Child Health, China Advisory Center for China Health Care and Disease Control, Beijing Collaborative Research Center of Canada-China Child Health Foundation, Beijing Municipal Laboratory of Infection and Immunity. And offices of following academic organizations are located here: Chinese Preventive Medical Association Child Health Society, China Pediatrician Association, Expert Committee of Caring for the Younger Generation of China, Soong Ching Ling Foundation Selection Board of Pediatrics Prizes, and China Community Health Association.

　　Approved by the Evaluation Committee of Academic Degrees of the State Council, the CIP is authorized to confer PhD and MSc degrees in pediatrics. In the last 20 years, over 200 students graduated to have a PhD or MSc with the help of their tutors (more than 30 in all). Seven young or middle-aged scientists are given the title of Beijing New Star in Science and Technology. More than 100 retured from abroad do their best for the CIP development. Not a few senior experts hold the various posts of national academic societies.

　　In the past few years, 40 national and municipal continuing education programs were hosted in the CIP in addition of irregular training classes for child health care, prevention and treatment of asthma, laboratory examination, minimally invasive surgery and so on. Annually more than 100 academic papers are published in journals or delivered at meetings home and abroad, including nearly 10 collected by the SCI.

　　The CIP has been in close links with famous research institutions and research fellows abroad for academic exchanges and technological cooperation in many fields.