DREAM BIG

Children are our future.  Together, let’s maximize their potential.

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Our mission is to expand knowledge and prevent mental illness.

Understanding development from its origins

A better understanding of children’s emotional and mental wellbeing starts with an understanding of the prenatal period. As a result of a process called foetal programming,  experiences during pregnancy influence enduring changes in the body’s and brain’s structure and function. Pregnancy-related factors include maternal wellbeing, social support, nutrition, and mental health.

Accordingly, our collaborators lead research studies which follow children from the prenatal period, into childhood, adolescence and adulthood: MAVAN project (The Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, And Neurodevelopment), ALSPAC (The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children), Generation R (Generation Rotterdam),and  GUSTO (Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes).

Dandelions and orchids

Despite facing challenging developmental environments, some children will grow and make their way into the world, like dandelions.  Other, more sensitive chidren, require more care in order to be able to make their way. While these children are more susceptible to mental illness in adverse environnements, in the right conditions, they can accomplish extraordinary things. We often refer to them as orchids.

Our goal is to understand how prenatal adversity, the early childhood environment and children’s genetic makeup work together to influence children’s well-being.

DREAM BIG, accordingly, stands for Development Research in Environmental Adversity, Mental health, BIological vulnerability and Gender.

GENERAL FINDINGS

Here are a few important elements in determining children’s well-being

Prenatal

Experiences during pregnancy can contribute to outcome in children’s well-being. Read more by clicking here.

Genetics

Some people may get protection and/or risk factors from their genes. Read more by clicking here.

Early environment

Life events and parent-child interactions influence the development of children. Read more by clicking here.

Sex and gender

There are significant differences in how boys and girls are affected by mental illness. Read more by clicking here.

OUR RESEARCH

We examine the complex interplay between children’s genetic makeup and their earliest environment–the environment in which they develop during pregnancy to predict mental illness. We are also interested in how the early environment, such as parental care in the early years, stressors and social support influence this trajectory.

Do you want to collaborate with us?

OUR TEAM

This project joins the efforts of researchers who have been following children and their parents since pregnancy

Ashley D. Wazana, M.D.

Ashley D. Wazana, M.D.

DREAM BIG

Jonathan Evans, M.D.

Jonathan Evans, M.D.

ALSPAC

Rebecca Pearson, Ph.D.

Rebecca Pearson, Ph.D.

ALSPAC

Henning Tiemeier, M.D., Ph.D.

Henning Tiemeier, M.D., Ph.D.

Generation R

Michael Meaney, Ph.D.

Michael Meaney, Ph.D.

MAVAN/GUSTO

A GLOBAL EFFORT

PARTICIPANTS

(UBC)

PARTICIPANTS

(MAVAN)

PARTICIPANTS

(ALSPAC)

PARTICIPANTS

(Generation R)

PARTICIPANTS

(GUSTO)

OUR COLLABORATORS

OUR FUNDINGS AND SPONSORS

Contact Us

Send us an email at dreambigresearch@gmail.com

Child Center for Development and Mental Health

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