The LifeCycle Project-EU Child Cohort Network: a federated analysis infrastructure and harmonized data of more than 250,000 children and parents
Authors: Jaddoe Vincent W. V. , Felix Janine F. , Andersen Anne-Marie Nybo , Charles Marie-Aline , Chatzi Leda , Corpeleijn Eva , Donner Nina , Elhakeem Ahmed , Eriksson Johan G. , Foong Rachel , Grote Veit , Haakma Sido , Hanson Mark , Harris Jennifer R. , Heude Barbara , Huang Rae-Chi , Inskip Hazel , Järvelin Marjo-Riitta , Koletzko Berthold , Lawlor Deborah A. , Lindeboom Maarten , McEachan Rosemary R. C. , Mikkola Tuija M. , Nader Johanna L. T. , de Moira Angela Pinot , Pizzi Costanza , Richiardi Lorenzo , Sebert Sylvain , Schwalber Ameli , Sunyer Jordi , Swertz Morris A. , Vafeiadi Marina , Vrijheid Martine , Wright John , Duijts Liesbeth ,   LifeCycle Project Group, Jaddoe Vincent W. V. , Felix Janine F. , Duijts Liesbeth , El Marroun Hanan , Gaillard Romy , Santos Susana , Geurtsen Madelon L. , Kooijman Marjolein N. , Mensink-Bout Sara M. , Vehmeijer Florianne O. L. , Voerman Ellis , Vrijheid Martine , Sunyer Jordi , Nieuwenhuijsen Mark , Basagaña Xavier , Bustamante Mariona , Casas Maribel , de Castro Montserrat , Cirugeda Lourdes E. , Fernández-Barrés Sílvia , Fossati Serena , Garcia Raquel , Júlvez Jordi , Lertxundi Aitana C. , Lertxundi Nerea , Llop Sabrina , López-Vicente Mònica , Lopez-Espinosa Maria-Jose B. , Maitre Lea , Murcia Mario , Lea Jose , Urquiza H. , Warembourg Charline , Richiardi Lorenzo , Pizzi Costanza , Zugna Daniela , Popovic Maja , Isaevska Elena , Maule Milena , Moccia Chiara , Moirano Giovenale , Rasella Davide , Hanson Mark A. , Inskip Hazel M. , Jacob Chandni Maria , Salika Theodosia , Lawlor Deborah A. , Elhakeem Ahmed , Cadman Tim , Andersen Anne-Marie Nybo , de Moira Angela Pinot , Strandberg-Larsen Katrine M. , Pedersen Marie , Vinther Johan L. , Wright John , McEachan Rosemary R. C. , Wilson Paul , Mason Dan , Yang Tiffany C. , Swertz Morris A. , Corpeleijn Eva , Haakma Sido , Cardol Marloes , van Enckevoort Esther , Hyde Eleanor , Scholtens Salome , Snieder Harold , Thio Chris H. L. , Vafeiadi Marina , Chatzi Lida , Margetaki Katerina C. A. , Roumeliotaki Theano , Harris Jennifer R. , Nader Johanna L. , Knudsen Gun Peggy , Magnus Per , Charles Marie-Aline , Heude Barbara , Panico Lidia , Ichou Mathieu , de Lauzon-Guillain Blandine , Dargent-Molina Patricia , Cornet Maxime , Florian Sandra M. , Harrar Faryal , Lepeule Johanna , Lioret Sandrine , Melchior Maria , Plancoulaine Sabine , Järvelin Marjo-Riitta , Sebert Sylvain , Männikkö Minna , Parmar Priyanka , Rautio Nina , Ronkainen Justiina , Tolvanen Mimmi , Eriksson Johan G. , Mikkola Tuija M. , Koletzko Berthold , Grote Veit , Aumüller Nicole , Closa-Monasterolo Ricardo , Escribano Joaquin , Ferré Natalia , Gruszfeld Dariusz , Gürlich Kathrin , Langhendries Jean-Paul , Luque Veronica , Riva Enrica , Schwarzfischer Phillipp , Totzauer Martina , Verduci Elvira , Xhonneux Annick , Zaragoza-Jordana Marta , Lindeboom Maarten , Schwalber Amelie , Donner Nina , Huang Rae-Chi , Foong Rachel E. , Hall Graham L. , Lin Ashleigh , Carson Jennie , Melton Phillip , Rauschert Sebastian 
Published: July 2020

Early life is an important window of opportunity to improve health across the full lifecycle. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that exposure to adverse stressors during early life leads to developmental adaptations, which subsequently affect disease risk in later life. Also, geographical, socio-economic, and ethnic differences are related to health inequalities from early life onwards. To address these important public health challenges, many European pregnancy and childhood cohorts have been established over the last 30 years. The enormous wealth of data of these cohorts has led to important new biological insights and important impact for health from early life onwards. The impact of these cohorts and their data could be further increased by combining data from different cohorts. Combining data will lead to the possibility of identifying smaller effect estimates, and the opportunity to better identify risk groups and risk factors leading to disease across the lifecycle across countries. Also, it enables research on better causal understanding and modelling of life course health trajectories. The EU Child Cohort Network, established by the Horizon2020-funded LifeCycle Project, brings together nineteen pregnancy and childhood cohorts, together including more than 250,000 children and their parents. A large set of variables has been harmonised and standardized across these cohorts. The harmonized data are kept within each institution and can be accessed by external researchers through a shared federated data analysis platform using the R-based platform DataSHIELD, which takes relevant national and international data regulations into account. The EU Child Cohort Network has an open character. All protocols for data harmonization and setting up the data analysis platform are available online. The EU Child Cohort Network creates great opportunities for researchers to use data from different cohorts, during and beyond the LifeCycle Project duration. It also provides a novel model for collaborative research in large research infrastructures with individual-level data. The LifeCycle Project will translate results from research using the EU Child Cohort Network into recommendations for targeted prevention strategies to improve health trajectories for current and future generations by optimizing their earliest phases of life.