Generation R is a multi-ethnic prospective cohort study from fetal life until young adulthood in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Since the launch of Generation R, the study has already yielded many important results. Click here to view a selection of Research Results and here to view all Press and Media Reports of Generation R.
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Stay up to date with the latest news and results regarding Generation R (Next) via the website,
Generation R publications can be found on PubMed.
All Generation R researchers and staff have access to the Generation R WIKI intranet where all Generation R Theses can be found.
The Core Facility Generation R runs 2 population-based cohorts studies: Generation R and Generation R Next.
Generation R is a prospective cohort study from early fetal life until young adulthood in a multi-ethnic urban population, among 10,000 mothers, fathers and their children. The study is designed to identify early environmental and genetic causes of growth, development and health. Detailed research data is collected with the latest methods and techniques. Results forthcoming from the Generation R Study contribute to the development of strategies for optimizing health and healthcare for all children and their parents.
In spring 2017 Generation R launched a new cohort study: Generation R Next, studying the growth and development of a new generation of children from preconception onwards from Rotterdam. Generation R Next investigates the health and lifestyle of parents preferably before pregnancy and the effects on their growing and developing child. Participants with a child wish or pregnant women are invited for 3D Ultrasounds and detailed measurements. Click here to to register for Generation R Next or watch our video:
Researchers from several research groups cooperate within Generation R. The Management Team reviews all research projects at implementation and content level, and is responsible for the planning and execution of the study. Secretarial, administrative and logistic work is executed by office staff, and measurements at the research center by research staff. Research is conducted by Postdocs and approximately 100 PhD students, who study at the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES). From this perspective, Generation R trains a new generation of researchers for future youth health.
The CoFa Generation R runs 2 large scale cohort studies from the earliest phase of life. There is an enormous wealth of sociodemographic, life style, nutrition, biological and detailed outcome data. Outcome data include data on asthma and allergies, attachment, behavior, body composition, bone health, cardiovascular risk factors, cognition, developmental disorders, eye development, growth, hearing disorders, myopia, psychopathology and tooth health. Also, there is an extensive biobank available with genome and epigenome wide data, microbiome data and metabolomics data available.
Studies are performed on the prevalence, incidence and etiology of common diseases in pregnancy and childhood. Specific interest in the the early origins of diseases across the lifecourse.
Results forthcoming from the Generation R Study contribute to the development of strategies for optimizing health and healthcare for all children and their parents.
Generation R is conducted by more than 15 research groups from Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and the municipality of Rotterdam (Gemeente Rotterdam). Hospitals, obstetricians, Child Health Clinics (CJG), general practitioners, pharmacists and laboratories in Rotterdam, as well as national institutions such as the Dutch Center for Youth and Health (NCJ), are also involved. Partnerships for various research projects have also been established with studies abroad, the number of partnerships is expected to increase in the upcoming years.
The study has an open policy in regard to collaboration with other research groups. Requests for collaboration should primarily be pointed to Prof.dr. Vincent Jaddoe. These requests are discussed in the Generation R Study Management Team regarding their study aims, overlap with ongoing studies, logistic consequences and financial contributions. After approval of the project by the Generation R Study Management Team and the Medical Ethical Committee of the Erasmus Medical Center, the collaborative research project is embedded in one of the five research areas supervised by the specific principal investigator.
The conditions before and during pregnancy, and during the first years of life are extremely important for later health and development. Lifestyle and environmental factors of future parents are crucial for the health and social-emotional development of their offspring. To improve the health and wellbeing of future parents and their children, the Pregnancy & Child Center (Centrum voor Zwangerschap en Kind) has been established. In this center, doctors and researchers from various disciplines at Erasmus MC, Erasmus MC – Sophia Children’s Hospital and the municipality of Rotterdam collaborate identifying factors and mechanisms in the earliest stages of life affecting later health. The center focuses on 3 tasks: patient care, education and research.
Various Generation R researchers participate in the Horizon 2020 LifeCycle Project. This consortium congregates birth and child cohorts from Europe in an extensive EU Child Cohort Network. Data from over 250,000 parents and their children converge in this network. Stay informed of all LifeCycle news via the website where you can also find the new LifeCycle videoclip and an overview of all participating partners.
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