Healthy Brain and Child Development: a big study following kids from birth through age 10
Official title: 13/24 The Healthy Brain and Child Development National Consortium
Funded at Pennsylvania State University, the · NIH-11518979 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large, nationwide study will follow 7,200 mothers and their babies to map how early life experiences shape brain growth and development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,187,398 |
| NIH project number | 4U01DA055361-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11518979 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Families with newborns and children up to 10 years old who are willing to participate in imaging, assessments, and biospecimen collection across multiple years.
✕Less likely to help
Not all participants will directly benefit immediately; the study aims to build knowledge for future generations.
What this research studies
This project will enroll families at 27 sites across the U.S. and use MRI, EEG, behavioral assessments, and biospecimens to create a detailed picture of typical brain development in the first 10 years. Researchers will harmonize data across sites to build a large, accessible dataset for scientists studying how genes and environments interact to influence development. The study is designed to identify how factors like maternal health, stress, and exposure to substances may affect neurodevelopment, with findings shared to inform early-life care practices. If you or your child participate, your contributions could help improve understanding of healthy trajectories and potential interventions for at-risk children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could lead to better guidance and interventions to support healthy brain development in children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large neurodevelopment studies have shown the value of harmonized imaging and behavioral data in identifying developmental patterns, though this project is particularly broad and diverse.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State University, the
University Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perez-Edgar, Koraly E — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Perez-Edgar, Koraly E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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California Abundant Birth Project: does guaranteed income during pregnancy affect birth outcomes and child development?
A government-backed program gives pregnant people in California monthly income to reduce stress, with researchers studying how this helps birth outcomes and early child development.
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Father-inclusive parenting program to boost early child development
A family-focused program tests whether including fathers in responsive parenting support leads to better outcomes for young children.
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Healthy Brain and Child Development study across 27 sites
This project studies how genes and early-life environments affect brain development in thousands of babies and young children.
-
Healthy Brain and Child Development study across 27 sites
A nationwide study follows mothers and infants from pregnancy through early childhood to map how genes and environments shape brain development and behavior.
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Healthy Brain and Child Development in the US: a large, multi-site study of early life factors
A large nationwide study follows mothers and their babies from birth to age 10 to understand how genes and early life experiences shape brain development.
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Healthy Brain and Child Development for the next generation
A large, long-term study follows thousands of mothers and young children to map how brain development unfolds from birth through early childhood in diverse families.
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.