Overview

The Center for Developmental Health conducts cutting-edge research and explores ways to prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. The scientific foundation of the center is the 1989 Barker finding that birth weight is a crude marker for risk of death from ischemic heart disease. An 8-9 pound baby is less likely to acquire heart disease than babies born smaller or larger. An examination of other chronic diseases shows that adult onset type 2 diabetes and obesity are also highly correlated with birth weight, as well as markers of maternal nutrition and body composition. Research has also shown that nutritional and social stresses before birth are related to dramatically increased risks for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and stroke, in addition to heart disease, later in life.

Research Areas

Scientists within CDH are organized into eight research areas focused on uncovering the origins of cardiovascular disease.

Research Positions:
Postdoctoral and other research positions are available within CDH. Please review our center scientists' faculty profiles for more information about their areas of focus and reach out to them directly to inquire about available positions associated with their laboratory. See directory of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease researchers at OHSU.