Nutrition for Optimal Reproductive and Adolescent Health (NORAH)
In NORAH, we are building upon our findings from OMG! (see below) to better understand the relationship between diet, the food environment, and emerging PCOS among adolescents.
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NORAH is funded by a Collaborative Seed Grant sponsored by the Global Institute for Hispanic Health. NORAH at Driscoll Children's Hospital is currently undergoing final dietary transcription and analysis and has moved on to a follow-up study, NORAH-CGM, funded through Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture and is being conducted at Driscoll Children’s Hospital (Corpus Christi, TX).
NORAH at Texas A&M University, funded by Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, has successfully launched and is actively recruiting participants at Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) and Texas A&M College of Nursing (Round Rock, TX).
NORAH Remote
NORAH Remote is a version of NORAH that utilizes Mobile Health Units (MHAC) to conduct study visits in remote locations.
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NORAH Remote will take place in Corpus Christi, TX from December 12th to 14th. If you are interested in participating in NORAH Remote, please use the link below or the QR code to fill out our initial interest and pre-screening form.
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Role of Dietitians in Adolescent and Young Adult Polycystic Ovary Syndromes (PCOS)
The Survey of RDNs about PCOS is a study to understand current practices and barriers in currently practicing dieticians who support adolescents and young adults with PCOS.
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If you are a RD/RDN who sees adolescents and adults with PCOS and interested in being part of this study, please fill out this survey.
Changes in Ovulation and Reproduction in Adolescents (CORA)
In CORA we are interested in learning more about reproductive maturation and reproductive axis miscalibration in adolescents.
CORA will be launching late fall 2025.
CodeRED - completed!
The adolescent reproductive transition represents a pivotal juncture in human development. Although some adolescents struggle with menstruation and its physical and psychological sequelae, many do not. The Vanden Brink Lab represents one of four research teams across three institutions who worked together to conduct CodeRED, which was funded by the Weill Cornell-Cornell Multi-Investigator Seed Grant. Our goal is to understand discrepancies in reproductive and psychological health, when and why they manifest, and what can be done to prevent them.
Ovarian Morphology in Girls (OMG!) - completed study - Completed!
Establishment of regular menstrual cycles is a key component of reproductive maturation and a recognized vital sign for health and well-being. Irregular menstrual cycles are especially common for the first 2-3 years after an adolescent’s first menstrual period (i.e., menarche), which delays the identification and diagnosis of early reproductive perturbations and subsequent future disease risk.
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The main objectives of this NIH-funded study, led by Dr. Marla Lujan from Cornell University and in collaboration with Dr. Tania Burgert and Dr. Romina Barral (Children’s Mercy Kansas City), were to determine whether there are distinct aspects of ovarian morphology that predict the likelihood of regular menses or cycle irregularity at 2 years post-menarche and whether ovarian features predict PCOS symptomology.
We recently received additional funding to launch OMG 2.0 in 2026.
Ovarian Morphology in Girls (OMG!) – MRI
Ultrasound imaging used to visualize ovarian features provides diagnostic insight into reproductive disorders such as PCOS but also provides insight into degree of reproductive dysfunction and metabolic disturbance in adults. The standard ultrasound imaging modality during adolescence is transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS) imaging, but presents multiple limitations. This study aims to conduct a systematic evaluation of the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in contrast with TAUS to adequately define the best methods to visualize ovarian features and clarify the importance of ovarian morphology during the adolescent reproductive transition. The Vanden Brink Lab is working collaboratively with the Lujan Lab at Cornell University and the study was funded by the Cornell Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Facility Pilot Award.
