A team of researchers from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, Duke University, Battelle Memorial Institute, and McMillan & Moss Research, are working together to plan and implement the Study in multiple counties in North Carolina. This team is made up of social scientists, obstetricians (doctors who deliver babies), pediatricians (doctors who care for infants and children), public health researchers, and data collection experts who have an interest in improving the health of families and their children. Our vision is an NCS Study Center that inspires research specifically relevant to children in North Carolina as well as the country as a whole. The project is coordinated at the Carolina Population Center at UNC—Chapel Hill.
The North Carolina Study Center is the central hub. Following are its roles and responsibilities:
- Serve as a central repository of scientific expertise
- Lead the commitment to community outreach and engagement
- Provide expertise in longitudinal collection and integration of diverse data including environmental samples, survey interviews, clinical examinations, and biospecimen collection
- Provide general administration including reviewing for scientific accuracy, developing Study activities, and maintaining the highest ethical standards for the Study
- Coordinate outreach and engagement
- Oversee data collection and pilot studies
- Participate on the NCS Steering Committee
County locations are the spokes. Following are their roles and responsibilities:
- Identify the households in the county where families will be asked to join the Study
- Obtain the support and cooperation of the medical community
- Establish a community advisory group and engage the general community
- Protect the confidentiality and privacy of Study participants
- Enumerate, screen, recruit, and maintain contact with participants
- Coordinate training and quality measures
- Collect data
- Manage the receipt and transfer of biological and environmental samples
- Report Study progress
Researchers at the North Carolina Study Center are involved in national working teams to develop Study protocols and operational procedures for the NCS. The North Carolina Study Center team also is developing additional studies and will work with other researchers on ways to expand the benefit of the NCS to America’s children.
This organization chart shows the core scientific team at the North Carolina Study Center.
A full list of the Research Team can be found on our Center Research page.