Healthy Brain and Child Development for early years and beyond
Official title: 23/24 Healthy Brain and Child Development National Consortium
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11518971 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large study across the U.S. will follow thousands of mothers and their children from infancy through age 10 to map how genes and environments shape brain development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,951,374 |
| NIH project number | 4U01DA055367-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11518971 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are pregnant people and children up to age 10 who are willing to participate in long-term assessments across multiple sites in the US.
✕Less likely to help
Families who prefer not to participate in long-term imaging and behavioral assessments may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds a national, harmonized protocol to track neurodevelopment from birth to age 10 using MRI, EEG, behavioral tests, and biospecimens at 27 sites. It aims to create a normative map of development that accounts for diverse backgrounds, so we can understand how prenatal and early-life exposures affect outcomes. Participants will be a large, demographically varied group of mothers and infants enrolled and followed over several years with regular assessments and data sharing to researchers. The study emphasizes collaboration and standardized data so future research and interventions can be better targeted to children’s needs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could clarify critical periods of vulnerability and resilience in child brain development, informing prevention and early intervention strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous multi-site neurodevelopment studies have advanced understanding, but this consortium aims to harmonize data across a large, diverse population with new, scalable methods.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rogers, Cynthia Elise — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Rogers, Cynthia Elise
Related research
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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.
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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: a big study following kids from birth through age 10
A large, nationwide study will follow 7,200 mothers and their babies to map how early life experiences shape brain growth and development.
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.