Obesity in children is on the increase, and is associated with heart enlargement. This could be due to increases in the load on the heart, although abnormal nervous control of the heart or altered arterial function could also contribute. Low birthweight children, who exhibit accelerated growth through childhood, may be particularly affected. We will use non-invasive techniques to examine heart and arterial structure and function in 2500 fifteen year olds who have been part of a detailed study of growth since birth. This will help us understand why obesity results in heart disease, and why adolescents who have grown rapidly in childhood are at particular risk.

The main scientific and technological objectives of this highly focused RTD project are:

* to carry out well-integrated genome-wide and functional genomics research in order:

o to identify genetic risk markers for CAD

o to link these with transcriptome data and cellular function in atherosclerosis

o to discover new candidates and systems for drug development

o to exploit Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in partnership with SMEs and the pharmaceutical industry

o to develop integrated novel information systems

* to establish a world-leading European consortium on the basis of genuine and equal partnership between leading clinical centres, academic groups, cell biologists, bioinformaticians and biostatisticians to provide further knowledge into the genetic basis of CAD for the benefit of members of the European Community.

The aim of the ALSPAC study is to identify the biological, physical, genetic, psychological and pedagogical factors that influence health and development. The Department's contributions are to ensure that the study also covers the following key social and educational research themes:

1. the engagement of young people with learning

2. 14-19 system reform and the learning pathways and experience of 15-17 year olds

3. sub-group differences in achievement, social engagement and attitudes to learning and employment

4. wider skills and attributes: academic, psychological, behavioural and personal development

5. the relative influences of families, schools, peers and cultural values on decisions, behaviour and engagement at 16/17

To chart the relationship of these outcomes with socio-economic status of the family of origin of a large population

based sample of young people currently living in the UK.

To understand the complementarities between different aspects of children's and adolescent's lives at one point of time

and across time, examining lives from birth to adolescence.

To study the pathways by which socio-economic status of parents affects outcomes for their children. These pathways

include the role of peer groups, friendships and neighbourhoods; schools; psychological motivations; parental mental

health; family (mal)functioning and parental behaviours early in children's lives.

To compare the development of current adolescents in the UK with their US counterparts and those in the UK of earlier

generations.

To undertake methodological innovation in the analysis of large scale survey data, including the estimation of nonnested

hierarchial data; the analysis of the impact of missing data and the use of imputation techniques; and the

exploration of the use of biomedical, including genetic, information as instruments for observed outcomes in early/middle

childhood.

To disseminate our research to the academic community in a wide range of disciplines; to inform policy makers and aid

the development of information based policy in the fields of child and adolescent development, family, educational and

neighbourhood policy; and to achieve a step change in the usage of the unique Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and

Children (ALSPAC) data resource within the social science community in the UK and overseas.

(No outline received).

(No outline received).

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is an under recognised cause of major disability in childhood. Due to a lack of robust epidemiological evidence there is a lack of awareness of how DCD affects children and limited evidence to support existing intervention strategies.

The aim of this study is to enhance the evidence base regarding the potential impact of DCD on the lives of children in order to inform recommendations for service provision, leading to the development of targeted multidisciplinary interventions to reduce physical, psychological and social disability. The proposed "Complex Intervention" will be based on a systematic review of the literature, a quantitative analysis of a large existing dataset, and a qualitative investigation of the experience of a group of adolescents with DCD and their parents.

Specific aims of this project are to:

1. Fully exploit data already collected in ALSPAC to investigate trajectories to use of cannabis and other drugs in late adolescence and early adulthood and adverse psychological, educational and social outcomes associated with these pathways.

2. Collect new data on ALSPAC children in late adolescence and early adulthood so that the resource has data on the whole of childhood - from before birth to the onset of adulthood allowing investigation of effects of exposures both cumulatively and during critical time periods, such as pregnancy, infancy, puberty and adolescence, on outcomes measured in late adolescence and around the onset of adulthood.

3. Obtain consent for and establish mechanisms of linkage between individual ALSPAC study participants and routine sources of data on educational, social and health outcomes that may be influenced by exposure to cannabis and other drugs.

The project will realise these aims through meeting the following objectives:

* Objective 1:To obtain detailed and objective measurement of frequency, quantity, route of administration, form of drug used and dependence on cannabis and other drugs through a clinic based assessment at age 17 (including collection of biological samples) and a postal questionnaire at age 19

* Objective 2: To measure psychotic like symptoms in a clinic based assessment at age 17 and a postal questionnaire at age 19.

* Objective 3: To measure involvement in antisocial and other risky behaviour, sibling drug use, social position and labour market participation through a postal questionnaire at age 19.

* Objective 4: To develop the methodology necessary to allow individual linkage to routine health and social outcome data and to extend linkage already established (with parental consent) to educational outcome data to these other data sources after obtaining individual consent at an age 17 clinic.

* Objective 5: To examine direct associations between currently established candidate polymorphisms and candidate polymorphisms that emerge during the lifetime of the project on trajectories and level of cannabis use, and to use such polymorphisms as unconfounded measures of cannabis intake to look at associations between cannabis use and related harm.

* Objective 6: To examine possible gene-environment interactions involving such genotypes in relation to the outcomes considered in this project.

* Objective 7: To use ALSPAC data already collected along with data collected as described above to clarify causal pathways to onset and progression of cannabis use, to use of other drugs and to the adverse outcomes associated with such use, attributable risks of key causal exposures and most promising targets for effective intervention.

* Objective 8: To establish a resource that will allow consideration of these questions in relation to adverse health and social outcomes apparent beyond the lifetime of the project.

The proposed study is part of a wider application to the MRC for a postdoctoral Special Research Training Fellowship in Health Services and Health of the Public Research. The overall theme of the application is the causes of emotional distress in early to mid adolescence and the support needs of those who experience this, with a particular focus on the school context, in terms of risk factors and potential avenues of support. The aim of this particular study is to assess incidence and school-related risk factors for deliberate self-harm in 14-15 year olds in ALSPAC. The young people in the sample have already been asked during their clinic interviews at age 11 about episodes of self-harm and suicidal thoughts (frequency, timing and nature of episodes). The children were asked the following questions: (a) "Have you thought of killing yourself?" (b) "Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?" (c) "Have you ever made plans to kill yourself?" (d) "Have you actually tried to kill yourself?". I propose to build on this data, by including several questions in the questionnaires to be sent out to the ALSPAC teenagers at age 14-15 years.