HBCD Study
About the study
The first few years of life are a period of quick growth and brain development. There are many factors that can affect how children develop, yet little is known about how these factors impact health and other outcomes. The HBCD Study will help us understand how child development may be affected by exposure to different social and environmental experiences and conditions. Recent advances in technology and developments in research allow us to explore in more detail how these exposures interact with brain development and other social and health outcomes. Results from the HBCD Study will provide information that parents, caregivers, and health professionals can use to enhance the well-being of children. Knowledge gained from this research will have lasting impacts on future generations of children.
Who we are contacting for this study
Participating families will be individuals who join mostly between the second and third trimester of pregnancy and continue in the study with their newborn infants. It is important that people who join the study are of different races and ethnicities, with diverse education, income levels, and living environments. At the University of Minnesota, we will be recruiting 300 participants over the next 3 years. The HBCD Study will enroll approximately 7,500 participating families across the United States.
Study Assessments
The study will collect information beginning at pregnancy, through birth and early childhood. During these visits, you will be asked to complete interviews and questionnaires. In addition, you and/or your child will be asked to:
- Provide samples, such as blood (birth parent), urine and saliva (birth parent and child)
- Participate in behavioral assessments
- Wear activity and/or heart rate trackers for brief periods of time
- Undergo safe, non-invasive methods that provide pictures of your child’s brain and measure the brain activity of your child
After the first year, some of these assessments will be repeated each year. All study assessments and procedures will be provided to you free of charge. You will be compensated for the time spent participating in the study. We also provide meals at all research visits and transportation to and from our facility if needed.
Study personnel/contact info
- Principal Investigators: Sylia Wilson, PhD; Anna Zilverstand, PhD; Michael Georgieff, MD
- Site Coordinator: Krupa Patel
- Study Navigators: Jessica Broaden, Mariah Mirabel Nelson
- Research Assistants: Michele Friedman, Inyene Ukpong, Kenzie Bingel, Mallory Olsen
- Graduate Students: Emily Padrutt, Akira Wang, Jay Santos
- Undergraduate Research Assistants: Saaraa Aggarwal
Findings/results
Data collection began in the summer of 2023 and is currently underway.