Healthy Brain and Child Development study consortium
Official title: 1/24 Healthy Brain and Child Development National Consortium
Funded at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-11518962 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large U.S. study follows thousands of mothers and children from birth to age 10 to understand how genes and environments shape brain development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,603,214 |
| NIH project number | 4U01DA055366-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11518962 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include pregnant people and their infants enrolled across 27 sites in the U.S. who are willing to participate in long-term assessments and provide biospecimens.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who do not fit the 0-11 year age range or who choose not to participate in follow-up visits or biospecimen collection may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project brings together many sites to collect brain imaging, behavior, and biological samples from 7,200 mothers and infants, with a harmonized protocol to map developmental trajectories. It focuses on how prenatal and early-life exposures—like maternal health, stress, and substances—affect neurodevelopment. Families would contribute data over time through imaging sessions, assessments, and biospecimen donation, with procedures designed to be standardized across sites. The goal is to build a big, shared resource that researchers can use to improve care for children as they grow.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to earlier identification of developmental risks and inform interventions to support healthy brain development in children.
How similar studies have gone: Prior neurodevelopmental studies have shown the value of harmonized data across sites for understanding brain development, though this specific large-consortium effort is expansive and innovative.
Where this research is happening
-
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gao, Wei — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Gao, Wei
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.
-
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.
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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.