How early-life environmental exposures affect biological aging in kids and teens

Early-life environmental exposure mixtures and biological age acceleration in children and adolescents: susceptibility, potential interactions and underlying mechanisms

['FUNDING_R01'] · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · NIH-11247923

This project looks at whether chemical exposures before birth, together with diet and body weight, speed up biological aging during childhood and adolescence.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11247923 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

From a parent's view, researchers will follow children whose mothers had measurements of environmental chemicals during pregnancy and will track those children through adolescence. The team will measure biological aging markers (like telomere length) and combine genetic, metabolic, and other molecular data using a multi-omics approach. They will also compare how diet and obesity interact with prenatal chemical exposures to influence aging markers. The study uses repeated sample collection and long-term follow-up to see how early exposures relate to changes over time.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are pregnant people and their children who can be followed from pregnancy through childhood and into adolescence, especially those with recorded prenatal exposure measurements.

Not a fit: Adults without prenatal exposure information or people whose health concerns are unrelated to early-life environmental exposures and aging markers are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify prenatal exposures and modifiable factors that increase early biological aging and point to prevention strategies to protect long-term health.

How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have linked prenatal endocrine-disrupting chemical exposures to shorter telomeres, but this larger, long-term multi-omics study is a novel and more comprehensive approach.

Where this research is happening

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.