Studies in the USA
In the US, our NIH-sponsored ECHO project focuses on understanding how environmental exposures affect child brain development and health outcomes. This includes understanding factors like early nutrition (and breastfeeding), eating habits and obesity, sleep and physical activity, and air and water quality. We also collect information in the microbiome and our genetics to understand how these influence brain health. Our research team includes experts from across the USA, including Johns Hopkins University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of California Davis, Wellesley College, and the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona.
Beyond our team, ECHO brings together 35 other teams from across the US to understand not only neurodevelopment, but also how early life exposures affect childhood obesity, asthma, and other pre and post-natal outcomes.
As part of this project, we are recruiting soon-to-be and current mothers with infants less than 6 months of age. The study involves assessments of maternal and fetal / infant nutritional health, cognitive performance (such as IQ, language development, etc.) and brain development (assessed by ultrasound, US, and magnetic resonance imaging, MRI). We also have detailed questionnaires about sleep, eating behaviours, family environment, and child activities.All assessments are safe and painless for you and your infant.
Studies Outside of the USA
Child who live and grow up in many countries around the world face significant challenges, including poor nutrition, lack of clean drinking water, limited access to healthcare and education, and often significant social and gender inequalities. This can profoundly affect their health and development.Current estimates suggest that at least 250 million children under the age of 5 fail to meet their developmental potential, with many of these children living in lower and middle income settings.
To help understand the impact of these environmental conditions on health and neurodevelopment, we are working with talented research and community health workers in India, Pakistan, Malawi, Ghana, Zambia, and South Africa, on projects assessing development and environmental conditions. Much of this work is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and aims to optimize nutrition and other interventional strategies to maximize child health outcomes
To Participate
If you are an expecting or new mother, or have a child under 6 years of age and would like to participate in this study, please email (info@babyimaginglab.com) or call (401-338-6943) or fill out the following information and we will get in touch ASAP.