GROW-NQ: Building the Foundations for North Queensland's First Longitudinal Pregnancy and Child Development Cohort

Principal Investigator

This project will establish the foundational evidence, partnerships and governance required to build North Queensland’s first longitudinal pregnancy and child development cohort. Through co-design with pregnant and postpartum women, fathers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, clinicians, educators and policy stakeholders, the project will identify priority outcomes, culturally safe governance structures, and feasible recruitment and retention strategies across the Townsville Hospital and Health Service region. Findings will inform flagship cohort addressing how tropical, rural and remote contexts shape early child development and lifelong health. Outputs will de-risk a future NHMRC Investigator Grant application and other NHMRC/MRFF applications to advance JCU’s strategic priority in health and wellbeing in Tropics.

30 Jun 2026 - 30 Jun 2027

N/A