Environmental influences on early development and child health in preterm kids
Official title: Environment, Epigenetics, Neurodevelopment & Health of Extremely Preterm Children
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11391314 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large, long-term study follows extremely preterm children to understand how social and biological exposures before conception through early adulthood affect their development and health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2016 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1 |
| NIH project number | 5UH3OD023348-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391314 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children who were born extremely preterm and are enrolled in the ELGAN-ECHO cohort, and their families, may be eligible for follow-up and related data collection.
✕Less likely to help
The study may involve long-term follow-up and data collection that may not directly benefit every participant.
What this research studies
This project continues the ELGAN-ECHO cohort to collect and analyze data and biospecimens from participants over many years. It focuses on how preconception, pregnancy, and early childhood exposures—chemical and social—shape neurodevelopment and health outcomes. The study uses advanced environmental epidemiology methods to track biomarkers and outcomes and to keep participants engaged for ongoing follow-up. Researchers will work with families to collect information, samples, and health data to map exposure pathways and their impacts. The goal is to identify factors that modify the link between exposures and neurodevelopmental outcomes to inform prevention and intervention efforts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help identify environmental factors that influence neurodevelopment in children born very preterm and guide strategies to reduce risk.
How similar studies have gone: Evidence from large, long-term pediatric environmental health studies supports meaningful insights into how early exposures affect development.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'shea, Michael — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: O'shea, Michael
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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.