# Wisconsin Infant Study Cohort (WISC) ECHO Pediatric Follow-Up

> **NIH NIH UG3** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2024 · $634,871

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Asthma affects approximately 10% of US children and is a leading cause of respiratory morbidity and
hospitalization. Asthma disproportionally affects parent-identified Black and Caribbean Hispanic children, and
the large and diverse population of the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) study is
ideal for identifying early-life causes for asthma disparities. The Wisconsin Infant Study Cohort (WISC) is a birth
cohort of underserved rural families and children. This population would bring unique data to ECHO related to
exposures (animals, microbiome), neighborhood factors (low population density, clean air), and health outcomes
(reduced rates of respiratory diseases). Our scientific goals focus on how environmental factors and hormonal
influences in adolescence regulate molecular responses of nasal airway cells (NAC). We will analyze DNA
methylation (DNAm) and gene expression from NAC samples in mid-childhood and early adolescence and
combine these data to identify “molecular phenotypes.” We hypothesize that these phenotypes relate to specific
environmental exposures in early life and asthma-related outcomes at ages 6-10 and during a three year follow-
up period. We therefore propose the following specific aims:
 Aim 1. To leverage ECHO Protocol 3.0 core data, we will analyze NAC gene expression and DNAm in
children ages 6-10 years to identify airway cell molecular phenotypes and then test for associations with prenatal
and early postnatal environmental exposures, personal factors (sex, parent-identified race/ethnicity, age,
polymorphisms of candidate genes), and clinical outcomes (asthma, rhinitis, lung function).
 Aim 2. We will reassess asthma outcomes and nasal airway cells three years later (ages 9-13 years) to
determine how asthma disease activity and changes in severity relate to: a) the molecular phenotypes at 6-10
years, b) potential asthma modifying factors such as sex hormones, insulin resistance, and allergy, and c)
changes in DNAm and gene expression.
 Aim 3. We propose to update and adapt existing WISC protocols and adopt new ECHO systems to
maximize retention of existing participants, contribute diversity related to rural and farming exposures and
lifestyles, and implement the ECHO Cohort Protocol with high fidelity.
These proposed studies will link modifiable environmental exposures to molecular regulation of airway cells and
allergy and asthma clinical outcomes. The results will yield a treasure trove of information that could inform new
strategies to prevent asthma and, in affected children, enable innovative approaches to promote disease control
and remission.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10903990
- **Project number:** 5UG3OD023282-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** James E. Gern
- **Activity code:** UG3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $634,871
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-21 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10903990

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10903990, Wisconsin Infant Study Cohort (WISC) ECHO Pediatric Follow-Up (5UG3OD023282-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10903990. Licensed CC0.

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