Healthy Brain and Child Development for the next generation
Official title: 3/24 Healthy Brain and Child Development National Consortium
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11518978 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,507,829 |
| NIH project number | 4U01DA055365-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11518978 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are pregnant individuals and children up to age 10 who are willing to participate at one of the 27 study sites across the US.
✕Less likely to help
Some families may not directly benefit from the findings, but contribute to a broader understanding of child development.
What this research studies
This project creates a big, collaborative study across many sites to track neurodevelopment using brain imaging, EEG, behavior, physiology, and biosamples. It aims to establish normal developmental trajectories over the first 10 years by enrolling about 7,200 mother–infant pairs from across the US. Families participate by contributing data, imaging, and samples, with a standardized protocol so researchers can compare results. The information collected could help identify how early experiences shape later outcomes and guide safer, healthier environments for children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could inform policies and practices to support healthier brain development in children, especially in diverse populations.
How similar studies have gone: Similar large-scale neurodevelopment studies have yielded valuable datasets and methodological advances, though this exact harmonized consortium approach is expanding current knowledge.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Hao — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Huang, Hao
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.