Healthy Brain and Child Development in the US: a large, multi-site study of early life factors
Official title: 22/24 Healthy Brain and Child Development National Consortium
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11518981 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | July 20, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,577,153 |
| NIH project number | 4U01DA055357-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11518981 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Mothers and their newborns across the US, with plans to enroll from diverse backgrounds at multiple sites.
✕Less likely to help
Not all enrolled families may experience direct personal benefits; the study focuses on data collection and long-term knowledge.
What this research studies
This project will enroll 7,200 mothers and infants at 27 sites across the US and use a common set of brain imaging, neurophysiology, behavioral, and biospecimen measures to map healthy developmental trajectories. Researchers will harmonize data collection to track how prenatal and early-life experiences influence neurodevelopment over the first decade. The study aims to create a rich, shareable dataset so scientists can study how environments, stress, and exposures impact brain growth and function in children. Participation may involve MRI scans, EEG, behavioral assessments, and biospecimen collection as part of routine visits. The findings could inform strategies to promote healthier development and early interventions for at-risk children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve understanding of how early-life factors influence development and lead to better prevention and support strategies for children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large-scale neurodevelopmental studies have shown how early experiences relate to brain development, but this project emphasizes harmonized measures across many sites for a normative trajectory.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Howell, Brittany Rollins — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Howell, Brittany Rollins
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: 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.
-
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.