Epigenetic Pathways Linking Childhood Poverty to Lifelong Health
Official title: Epigenetic Pathways of Socioeconomic Disparities in Physical and Cognitive Health Across the Lifespan
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11518531 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests whether DNA methylation patterns can reveal how growing up in low-income families affects physical and cognitive health across life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $129,060 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD114724-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11518531 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Families with young children living in low-income conditions who could participate in a longitudinal study linked to interventions.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who do not experience low-income childhood conditions or who are not enrolled in the trial may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will use DNA methylation as a possible “molecular wormhole” to connect childhood social conditions with health outcomes later in life. They will build on the BFY study and incorporate methylation-based scores into a randomized trial that examines unconditional cash transfers to low-income mothers for about six months. The goal is to see if improving early-life conditions changes epigenetic marks and, in turn, lifelong health trajectories. Participants would be families from diverse backgrounds, followed over time to observe health and cognitive outcomes. This work aims to reveal actionable insights for policies that support healthy development from childhood onward.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform interventions that reduce lifelong health disparities rooted in childhood poverty.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary results suggest methylation scores may reflect environmental impacts on development, but causal evidence in a long-term design is limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harden, Kathryn Paige — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Harden, Kathryn Paige
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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.