DREAM BIG Consortium (Harmonization and Replication)
The DREAM BIG Consortium is an international collaboration that harmonizes data from nine prenatal cohorts to study developmental pathways for psychopathology. By integrating over 150,000 mother-child dyads, it aims to uncover the impact of perinatal adversity and genetic susceptibility on mental health. This consortium focuses on producing cost-effective, reproducible research to inform early intervention and prevention strategies for mental disorders.
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Research Team
Our research team comprises leading experts in developmental psychology, psychiatry, and computational biology. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to understand and address the complexities of early childhood mental health.
Harmonization
The DREAM BIG Consortium harmonizes data from diverse prenatal cohorts, ensuring consistent and comparable datasets. This process enhances the robustness and reliability of our research findings, allowing for comprehensive analysis across different populations.
Replication (Research Findings)
Our focus on replication ensures that key experiments are reproducible across multiple studies. Validating research findings strengthens the evidence base and provides a solid foundation for developing prevention and intervention strategies.
Latest NEWS
| 2022/03/01 | Our latest paper published in frontiers in neuroscience. See here. |
| 2024/09/09 | Youth focus group starting recruitment Click here! |
Our collaborators
Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is an UK community cohort of 13,867 mother-child dyads recruited between 1991 and 1992 designed to determine how genotype combines with environmental pressures to influence health and development.
The Generation R Study (GENERATION-R) is a Dutch population-based prospective cohort (Rotterdam) of 9778 families enrolled between 2002 and 2006 to assess development from fetal life onwards.
The Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) is a Singaporean cohort of 1176 mother-child dyads recruited from 2009 to 2011 to examine fetal development and epigenetic factors in early pathways to neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) is a Canadian prospective cohort (Montreal and Hamilton) of 590 mother-child dyads recruited between 2003 and 2014 with extensive face-to-face experimental assessments of mother, child, and mother-child interactions.
Mental Health in Adulthood: Variability in Neurodevelopment and Resilience (MAVAN-R) is the adult extension of MAVAN that seeks to understand the effects of perinatal maternal adversity, early childhood experiences, and genetics of adulthood psychopathology and well-being.
Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MOBA) is a Norwegian cohort of 114,000 families recruited between 1999 and 2009 designed to assess environmental exposures on development.
Prediction and prevention of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (PREDO): Finnish cohort of 4777 mother-child dyads recruited from 2006 to 2010 to study preterm birth risks/outcomes.
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Dream Big Consortium members
Ashley Wazana, M.D.
DREAM BIG
Jonathan Evans, M.D.
ALSPAC
Rebecca Pearson, Ph.D.
ALSPAC
Henning Tiemeier, M.D., Ph.D.
Generation R
Michael Meaney, Ph.D.
MAVAN/GUSTO
Harmonization
The DREAM BIG Consortium excels in harmonizing data from various prenatal cohorts, ensuring that datasets are consistent, comparable, and robust. This meticulous process involves standardizing data collection methods, definitions, and measurements across different studies. By doing so, we enhance the reliability and validity of our research, enabling us to draw meaningful conclusions from a large and diverse population. Harmonization allows us to integrate findings from different cohorts, providing a comprehensive understanding of how perinatal adversity and genetic susceptibility influence mental health. This approach not only strengthens our research but also sets a high standard for future studies in the field.
Replication (Research Findings)
Replication is a critical component of the DREAM BIG Consortium’s research methodology, ensuring the robustness and reliability of our findings. Replication involves reanalyzing data and conducting additional studies to validate our results and confirm their generalizability. One of the key aspects of our replication efforts is the creation of novel constructs that integrate genetic and environmental data, allowing for more precise and meaningful analysis. Additionally, we employ advanced imaging techniques to explore the neurobiological underpinnings of mental health disorders, providing a deeper understanding of the developmental pathways involved. Through rigorous replication, we build a solid evidence base that informs effective prevention and intervention strategies, enhancing the credibility and impact of our research.
