About ECHO at the University of Miami

The University of Miami proudly stands as one of 69 cohort sites in the United States participating in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. Launched by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2023, Miami-ECHO is a seven-year research initiative dedicated to understanding how a wide range of early environmental exposures – including chemical, social, behavioral, biological, and built environments – impact children’s development, health, and well-being.


Our Mission

Miami-ECHO aims to enhance the health of children for generations to come by identifying and understanding the interplay between genetics and various environmental factors that children and their parents experience throughout their lives, even before birth. These factors include the air they breathe, the food they eat, medications, interactions with people, and the neighborhoods they live in.

Research Goals

Our goal at the University of Miami is to recruit over 1,250 pregnant women, their children, and the conceiving fathers from Miami-Dade County, Florida. The Miami-ECHO study, led by Dr. Hudson Santos Jr. and Dr. Michael Paidas, is supported by an interdisciplinary team of experts in Maternal Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Public Health, Nursing Science, and Pediatrics. This Miami-based team will closely follow participants to monitor health outcomes over time while answering crucial questions about childhood health, including:  

  1. Maternal and Infant Health: How environmental factors affect pregnant individuals’ and babies’ health before, during, and after pregnancy.
  2. Physical Health and Nutrition: The influences on nutrition, physical activity, risks of becoming overweight, and related illnesses.
  3. Mental Health and Well-being: Overall Health, stress resilience, and general life satisfaction.
  4. Developmental health: Brain development, including cognitive function, social development, speech, attention, behavior, and emotions.

Participant Engagement

Participants in the Miami-ECHO study play a crucial role in helping us understand the impact of environmental exposures on child health. Participants may choose to contribute to the research through questionnaires, surveys, samples (e.g., blood and urine), and access to medical records to gain a comprehensive understanding of individuals’ health profile.

Privacy and Confidentiality

We take the privacy and confidentiality of our participants very seriously. All information and samples are securely stored and coded to protect identifiable information. Federal laws and a Certificate of Confidentiality provide additional protections to ensure participant data is safeguarded.

Engagement

Miami-ECHO will continue until at least 2030, with regular follow-ups to gather data and samples at different stages of the participants’ lives. Participation in this study is entirely voluntary, and families can choose to join or withdraw at any time without any penalty or loss of benefits to which they are otherwise entitled. We respect and support the autonomy of our participants, understanding that their continued involvement is crucial to the success of our research.

By participating in Miami-ECHO, families contribute to groundbreaking research that aims to improve the health and well-being of children nationwide. Together, we can answer crucial questions about how to create healthier environments for future generations.

Top