Next Generation Children's - Scholars

We address the challenge of improving life-course trajectory through early detection of antecedents of poor health and educational outcomes. Infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are at high risk of adverse health and educational outcomes, including ~30% chance of not meeting expected national educational targets aged 5. We will link multi-omic data, clinical and developmental deep-phenotyping, and routinely collected national health and educational records in a 1000-trio prospective cohort of NICU graduates. The resulting platform, managed within the UK NIHR Bioresource, will be continually updated to maximise phenotyping, maintain cohort engagement, and make data accessible. We will enhance diversity and validate key results through a Singapore-based mirror-cohort. Inclusivity of our approach is assured through co-design with our PPIE team and basing recruitment in ethnically-diverse and socio-economically deprived East of England cities. Families will receive clinical results reports to ensure bidirectional benefits of participation. Findings from the study are intended to (i) enhance diagnosis and maximise predictive value of neonatal whole genome sequencing (WGS) combined with multiomic-derived biomarkers and detailed phenotypic information, (ii) identify risk-markers allowing targeted early interventions to promote children’s health and developmental potential, and (iii) elucidate fundamental mechanisms leading to adverse physical-mental health and developmental outcomes.