What is ECHO?

The ECHO Program was launched in 2016 by the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the goal of understanding the effects of a broad range of early environmental exposures on child health and development from birth through adolescence. ECHO’s five key health outcomes are pre-, peri-, and postnatal; upper and lower airways; obesity; neurodevelopment; and positive health. During ECHO Cycle 1 (2016-2022), more than 107,000 children and caregivers participated and provided over 100,000 biospecimen samples.

ECHO Cycle 2 (2023-2030) is a cohort study with over 40 observational sites and four administrative centers and cores across the U.S. to build upon ECHO Cycle 1. Although each ECHO Cohort Study award defines its own participant population of children and caregivers and chooses specialized outcomes to focus on, they all follow the same streamlined, standardized data and biospecimen collection protocol. To correct the underrepresentation of Asian and Pacific Islanders in ECHO, the ECHO Minnesota site focuses on intentional recruitment and retention of Asian and Pacific Islander families. The ECHO Minnesota site includes all families, but its focus is on Asian and Pacific Islanders.

How does our environment affect our health?

We already know that our environment can affect our health throughout our lives, and before we are even born. Now, ECHO wants to find out exactly how that happens. ECHO researchers believe that where we live, our lifestyles, our surroundings, our relationships with others, and traits passed down from our families may all impact our health.

Who is leading ECHO MN?

ECHO MN is one of the new cohort sites for the second cycle of ECHO. The study takes place at the University of Minnesota/UMN Riverside clinic and hospital (primary site), Allina Health (secondary site), and HealthPartners Institute (secondary site). ECHO MN is led by Ruby H.N. Nguyen, PhD, principal investigator at the School of Public Health. Carrie Terrell, MD, Abbey Sidebottom, PhD, and Meghan JaKa, PhD lead the efforts at UMN Riverside, Allina Health, and Health Partners Institutes, respectively.

What is the goal of ECHO MN?

ECHO Minnesota will recruit and follow 780 pregnant participants and their children over the course of the study to determine how the environment affects pregnancy and childhood outcomes. ECHO Minnesota is focused on creating a predominantly Asian pregnancy cohort, which will increase representation of diverse Asian experiences and better reflect the nation’s heterogeneous Asian American population. However, a diverse participant population is important to the ECHO study, so we welcome all to participate. The ECHO Minnesota site is also expert in examining environmental chemicals and childhood obesity.