ECHO Measurement Core: Tools to track environmental exposures and child health
Official title: The ECHO Measurement Core: A Framework and Resource for Assessing Environmental Exposure and Child Health
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11371123 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH project at Northwestern builds better, culturally sensitive measurements to understand how early environmental exposures affect child health and development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2016 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,386,236 |
| NIH project number | 5U24OD023319-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11371123 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adults who participate in the ECHO program or related cohorts, especially those from diverse backgrounds, and researchers implementing the ECP.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not involved in environmental exposure research or those outside the ECHO framework may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports creating and improving measurement tools for a long-term study of how environmental factors shape health from early life. The team will coordinate measurement strategies, minimize burden for participants and staff, and ensure the measures work across diverse populations. It will help standardize data collection across the ECHO Cohort Protocol so scientists can compare results and learn how exposures influence development over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these improved measures could lead to clearer links between environmental exposures and child health outcomes, guiding prevention and policy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous cohorts have used standardized exposure measures; this effort advances precision and cultural sensitivity to improve consistency.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gershon, Richard — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Gershon, Richard
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.