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Mental health and wellness is critical to the overall wellbeing of a person, and can also impact on physical health. Researchers are exploring the mental wellbeing of mothers and their experience of motherhood and pregnancy, and effective support options available. Mental health development of the child is also explored, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our ORIGINS families.

News & Events

Four The Kids Research Institute Australia-based biobanks which underpin a range of cancer, respiratory and early life research have received more than $450,000 in funding.

As well as ORIGINS long-term core research, there are a number of clinical trials, early interventions and shorter-term research studies that sit within ORIGINS. Known as sub-projects, these studies look at multiple aspects of child and family health and development.

News & Events

Miss Braddon will be awarded with $15,000 to go towards her research project, DreamStart

By participating in ORIGINS, you are contributing to one of the largest and most comprehensive birth cohort studies ever.

ORIGINS is an interventional cohort study, meaning participants receive timely feedback and an action plan to address any potential abnormalities.

This study is investigating whether a machine learning based approach can be used to improve fetal brain anatomy measurement for learning development studies.

Research

Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common nutritional deficiency affecting young children. Serum ferritin concentration is the preferred biomarker for measuring iron status because it reflects iron stores; however, blood collection can be distressing for young children and can be logistically difficult. A noninvasive means to measure iron status would be attractive to either diagnose or screen for ID in young children.

Research

Global food systems are a central issue for personal and planetary health in the Anthropocene. One aspect of major concern is the dramatic global spread of ultra-processed convenience foods in the last 75 years, which is linked with the rising human burden of disease and growing sustainability and environmental health challenges.

Research

A significant number of babies present transiently with low protein kinase C zeta (PKCζ) levels in cord blood T cells, associated with reduced ability to transition from a neonatal Th2 to a mature Th1 cytokine bias, leading to a higher risk of developing allergic sensitisation, compared to neonates whose T cells have 'normal' PKCζ levels. However, the importance of PKCζ signalling in regulating their differentiation from a Th2 to a Th1 cytokine phenotype propensity remains undefined.