With the new hands-on initiative “St. Anna Research Kids,” scientists at St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute have succeeded in bringing research directly into the daily lives of young patients at St. Anna Children’s Hospital. The project allows children and adolescents to step into the role of researchers themselves and discover the joy of scientific exploration.

The idea was initiated by Katharina Wiener and Magdalena Radoš, two researchers at St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute. Their goal was to offer children and teenagers moments in which they can fully immerse themselves in the world of research despite illness and often demanding therapies, moments of respite where the disease fades into the background for a while.

The project opens up space for curiosity about science and biology, encouraging children to try new things, get creative, and engage with scientific topics in a light and playful way.

The concept was developed in close collaboration with the Psychosocial Department of St. Anna Children’s Hospital. Together, they created a format that allows children to participate in a way that suits their individual energy levels and needs.

“For us, the most important thing is that the children have fun and get the chance to experience what research feels like. When a child smiles or says with shining eyes, ‘Look what I made,’ that is exactly what St. Anna Research Kids is about. At the same time, we want to offer them a short break where the illness is not at the center of attention,” says Katharina Wiener.

“We want to show that science is something you can truly experience. What makes this initiative especially meaningful is the close collaboration between St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute and the various departments of St. Anna Children’s Hospital. This partnership makes the project possible and offers children genuine moments of relief from everyday clinical life,” adds Magdalena Radoš.

A project that connects

The successful launch has shown how openly children respond to science when it meets them at eye level. At the same time, the project highlights the unique closeness between St. Anna Children’s Hospital and St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute: here, clinical care and research work hand in hand every day, and through St. Anna Research Kids, this connection becomes directly tangible for the children.

“For our patients in particular, it is incredibly valuable to experience moments where curiosity, joy, and a sense of agency take center stage—rather than the illness. St. Anna Research Kids beautifully demonstrates how closely medicine, research, and compassionate care are intertwined at our institution, and how together we can give children strength, confidence, and a sense of normality,” says Univ.-Prof. DDr. Caroline Hutter, Medical Director of St. Anna Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at the Medical University of Vienna.