The CHILD study is a population based cohort (versus a high risk cohort) that will provide a platform to pursue answers to questions that previous birth cohorts have not been structured to answer. For example:
- What influences lung growth and development in infancy and early childhood?
- Is the development of asthma related primarily to nature or nurture?
- What role does the environment play in the development of allergy and asthma?
- Do early childhood infections decrease or increase the risk of allergy and asthma?
- What are the important genetic risk factors?
- How do gene-environment interactions impact allergy and asthma?
Why Is the CHILD Study an Important New Birth Cohort ?
Specifically, the study aims to:
- collect antenatal information and characterize information about the parents and siblings ;
- provide parents, health professionals and governemnt policy legislators understanding about the epidemic of allergy and asthma and what could underlie its development in young children;
- develop knowledge about the impact of gene-environment interactions and to express insight into the role of early childhood disease;
- collected detailed information of early infant infection and of innate and aquired immunity;
- assess the impact of early stressful life events on the development of the child before and after birth;
- make use of emerging technology for the assessment of infant lung function which had not been previously available to previous cohorts;
- integrate new technology and method to assess indoor enviorment and its affect on biological and physical systems.
- provide opportunities for national and international integration and collaboration
Development of the study team and proposal for submission to CIHR
- Discussions and collaboration via AllerGen NCE
- Decision to develop one national Letter of Intent
- September 2005: Letter of Intent submitted
- December 2005: Letter of Intent accepted
- January 2006: 2-day meeting of university researchers
- March 2006: 2-day meeting with federal partners,
- Frequent teleconferences, site visits, discussions with research team and partners
- September 2006: Full CIHR application submitted
Development of revised proposal for re-submission to CIHR
- January 2007: Discussions with Health Canada
- Discussions with other proposed federal partners
- Revisions, teleconferences, revisions, discussions ……
- June 2007: Application re-submitted to CIHR
- October 2007: CIHR peer-review committee meeting
- 5 specific questions from committee to applicants
- 46-page detailed response prepared in 5 working days
- Final teleconference of peer-review committee
- Committee recommendation to CIHR to fund project
- November 2007: CIHR advised successful outcome
WHO IS DIRECTING THE STUDY?
The national Principal Investigator for this study is Dr. Malcolm Sears, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St. Joseph’s Healthcare and McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
National lead investigators include:
Toronto: Dr. PJ Subbarao
Winnipeg: Dr. Allan Becker
Edmonton: Dr. Piush Mandhane
Vancouver: Dr. Stuart Turvey
Principal Sponsors
Five CIHR Institutes - $1M total per year for 6 years
- Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH),
- Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH),
- Institute of Gender and Health (IGH),
- Institute of Genetics (IG), and
- Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)
AllerGen NCE - $1M per year for 6 years
Corporate Sponsor
The CHILD Study has received generous support from several companies who have either donated materials or offered them to us at competitive prices.
ALK, Abelló Group (www.alk-abello.com) |
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| Carlton Cards (www.carltoncards.ca) |
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Lincoln Diagnostics |
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Yogen Fruz (www.yogenfruz.com) |
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The Keg Restaurant (www.kegsteakhouse.com) |
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Fabutan (www.fabutan.com) |
We are looking for other companies to join this initiative. There will be visible recognition for such support. Please contact the National Coordination Centre to initiate a discussion of possible opportunities.
GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
A number of Government of Canada Agencies are actively participating in this project, including:
- Health Canada (HC),
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC),
- Environment Canada (EC)
Along with fIve of the CIHR institutes, namely:
- Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH),
- Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH),
- Institute of Gender and Health (IGH),
- Institute of Genetics (IG), and
- Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)
FOUNDATIONS
SICK KIDS FOUNDATION
ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
HOSPITALS
UNIVERSITIES
