Life-course Epidemiology

Human development and health requires an environment that is both protected and protective from conception till adulthood. The Life-Course Epidemiology research line aims to identify environmental factors acting across the life course to influence health and disease. Such knowledge will provide policy- and decision-makers with a strong evidence base for intervention strategies and recommendations to protect human health.

Ongoing research projects

• East Flanders Prospective Twin Birth Cohort Study (EFPTS)
• Maastricht Essential Fatty Acid Birth (MEFAB) cohort study
• Mother-Child RHEA study

Team leader

Marij Gielen, PhD 

PhD Programmes

E3: Birth Cohort Research (Nikos Stratakis)
E4: Biological determinants of Learning (Renate de Groot)
E5: Prenatal Programming (Marij Gielen)

Last 5 publications

1. Stratakis, N., et al., Polyunsaturated fatty acid status at birth, childhood growth, and cardiometabolic risk: a pooled analysis of the MEFAB and RHEA cohorts. Eur J Clin Nutr, 2018.
2. Stratakis, N., et al., PUFA status at birth and allergy-related phenotypes in childhood: a pooled analysis of the Maastricht Essential Fatty Acid Birth (MEFAB) and RHEA birth cohorts. Br J Nutr, 2018. 119(2): p. 202-210.
3. Brouwer-Brolsma, E.M., et al., Associations between maternal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations and child cognition at 7 years of age: The MEFAB birth cohort. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 2017. 126: p. 92-97.
4. Stratakis, N., et al., Polyunsaturated fatty acid levels at birth and child-to-adult growth: Results from the MEFAB cohort. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 2017. 126: p. 72-78.
5. van der Wurff, I.S., et al., Association between prenatal and current exposure to selected LCPUFAs and school performance at age 7. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 2016. 108: p. 22-9.