PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Previously, the All of Us research study recorded data from adults, everything from their genetic traits to their ability to metabolize certain drugs, with the aim to gather data from 1 million people in order to advance individualized health care.Now, children ages birth to 4 can be enrolled in All of Us, which will enable researchers to track health issues beginning in infancy and stretching into childhood and adolescence.

“Experiences of early childhood shape our lives into adulthood,” said Dr. Josh Denny, chief executive officer of All of Us, in a press release. “Data from children and parents will allow researchers to disentangle the biological, social, and environmental influences that impact our health over time.”

All of Us, a $1.5 billion genetic research study directed by the National Institutes of Health, is a nationwide initiative, with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University of Pittsburgh serving as one of the sites. It’s one of only five sites in the study to currently enroll children.

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Adult participants provided blood and urine samples, had measurements and vitals taken (height, weight and blood pressure) and answered surveys about their behavioral and emotional health. They could also give access to their electronic health records, which — as with other data — have identifying information removed to protect participants’ privacy.

For their effort, adult participants received compensation of $25 as well as access to their data, which includes ancestry information, genetic traits, their predisposition to certain illnesses and their ability to metabolize certain drugs.

The program ran a pilot phase involving children last year and received feedback from caregivers; it now offers a range of options for giving biosamples such as blood draws and saliva samples, and all enrollment materials are now available in English and Spanish.

“Pediatric research can increase knowledge of risk factors, effective preventions and therapeutic approaches for diseases of childhood and beyond,” said Dr. Diana W. Bianchi, pediatrician and director of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in the press release.

All of Us aims to enroll a few hundred children this year and eventually expand enrollment to older children.

Families can learn more by contacting the All of Us Pennsylvania Team at the University of Pittsburgh by phone, 800-664-0480 or 412-383-2737, or email: allofuspa@pitt.edu.