We’re delighted to welcome Prof Cathie Sudlow OBE as Director of the Adolescent Health Study.
Funded by the UK Research and Innovation’s Infrastructure Fund through MRC, the study will follow the health of 100,000 adolescents over 10 years, collecting biological and lifestyle data so we can understand how these shape the health and wellbeing of adolescents.
Professor Sudlow will begin work to develop the initial pilot phase of the study which will be co-designed with young people and diverse groups of partners.
For more than 60 years, we’ve supported an unparalleled range of longitudinal population studies, including UK Biobank which has collected biological and medical data on half a million UK adults. However, there is a critical gap covering the transition from childhood and adolescence into adulthood, which the AHS will address.
AHS Director, Cathie Sudlow, said:
“I am excited to be leading the creation of the Adolescent Health Study resource.
We are in a period of profound socioeconomic and cultural change.
"It is critically important that we understand the impacts on the health and wellbeing of young people.
"The study is already working actively with a young people’s advisory group.
"Young people are helping to shape the Adolescent Health Study, including our plans for recruiting and following participants, and the data and samples we will collect.”
MRC Executive Chair, Professor Patrick Chinnery, said:
“I’d like to congratulate Professor Sudlow on her appointment.
"Under her leadership I know the AHS is in great hands and will fulfil MRC’s vision to ensure a strong scientific foundation for effective strategies to improve young people’s health and reduce health disparities
"The study will become a key national infrastructure, contributing to the UK’s world-leading research assets, underpinned by a wealth of longitudinal population-based studies.
"It will learn from and complement other studies, such as the ESRC-led Early Life Cohort, and will be part of Population Research UK."
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