Shaping the Future of Health - Together

Join us to better understand the causes of major diseases and contribute to healthier aging — through science, community, and commitment.

Welcome

Discover the Findings Behind Six Decades of Health Research

Welcome to the New England Family Study (NEFS), a one-of-a-kind project that began in the 1960s to help discover the keys to healthy aging. Our strength lies in learning from the same families over generations – from early development through aging.

Your involvement has made a world of difference.

Decades of Insight
Decades of Insight

Over 60 years of discovery about the keys to healthy aging.

Global Relevance
Global Relevance

Our findings have worldwide implications.

Range of Conditions
Range of Conditions

We explore a wide range of health conditions across the lifespan.

Who is NEFS?
You are NEFS.

In the 1960s pregnant women were invited to take part in NEFS. Over time their children were enrolled too. You may or may not remember being part of this important group as a child. Your participation helped researchers learn vital information about health and wellness in childhood and as we age.

And that is why you are NEFS. Your parents, and now you, have a unique opportunity to help us learn what drives healthy aging. Information collected from the same families are the best way to learn the causes of disease, especially those that develop across the life course.

Ready to contribute to a healthier future for all?

Call us at 401-863-3381 or click here to access our contact form.

Goals

Your Role Helps Us Reach a Healthier Future Together

We want to understand how life's early and adult stages shape our health as we age.

Understand Disease
Understand Disease

To understand how changes over time affect our brains and bodies.

Create Better Care
Create Better Care

To learn how to improve medical care for all ages.

Promote Positive Aging
Promote Positive Aging

To support health and lifestyle activities to help us get and stay healthy.

The work NEFS is doing, and your part in it, provide important clues about factors that impact our health as we age. This has been possible because your family and others took part in the study over the years.

Your involvement has made a world of difference.
Your Role Helps Us Reach a Healthier Future Together

Key Findings

What We've Discovered

Improving Children’s Health
Improving Children’s Health

Learning about prenatal and early childhood care.

Advances in Medical Treatments
Advances in Medical Treatments

Understanding adult diseases, including heart disease, asthma, cancer, mental health, and Alzheimer’s.

Preventing Disease and Staying Healthy in Adulthood
Preventing Disease and Staying Healthy in Adulthood

The importance of diet, exercise, social activities, mindfulness, and other therapies.

Why This Matters

Results from NEFS have led to better healthcare for our children, our current health, and future well-being.

Improving Children’s Health

Findings from the early years helped establish medical and education practices for pregnant women and young children worldwide, which were largely unknown before this study.

Key Findings Include:

  • The impact of a mother’s diet during pregnancy.
  • The benefits of immunizations during pregnancy and early childhood.
  • The potential harm from certain medications during pregnancy.
  • The harmful effects of lead exposure for young children.
  • The value of preschool.
  • The causes of learning disabilities.

Advances in Medical Treatments

Recent work from the NEFS has advanced understanding of the causes and treatment of most major adult diseases.

Areas Include:

  • Heart Disease
  • Asthma
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • And more

New treatments for schizophrenia, smoking cessation, drug abuse, and hypertension have resulted from NEFS findings.

Preventing Disease and Staying Healthy in Adulthood

Much of what we know about staying healthy in middle adulthood has come from the NEFS and similar long-term studies.

Key Findings Include:

  • The role of healthy diets.
  • The importance of keeping active physically and socially.
  • The benefits of exercise and access to green space.
  • The way we are affected by social media use.
  • The value of mindfulness, meditation and religious practice.

Current and Planned Studies

Our Focus is on Wellness

Aging is a unique journey for each of us. That's why NEFS is conducting a range of studies. Whether it's brain health, heart health, or mental wellness, we want to learn how to reduce the impact of diseases as we age.

Discover our current and upcoming projects.

Contact us online or call us at 401-863-3381 so we can learn what you are interested in and whether you are eligible for any current NEFS projects.

Projects on Memory and the Brain

We are actively exploring how memory, thinking, and brain function change as we age. Participate in surveys and, possibly, brain imaging studies.

Projects on Breast Cancer

We are planning projects to identify early causes and preventive measures for breast cancer and other types of cancer through telephone interviews with NEFS members.

Projects on Heart Disease

We are currently conducting studies to better understand early-life factors that may contribute to the risk of adult heart disease. Participation could include telephone surveys and travel to our study offices for procedures like an annual physical exam, measures of heart and brain function.

Interested in Our Studies? Learn More and Connect!

We encourage members of the NEFS community to contact us to learn more about these current or planned projects and find out how you can get involved.

Team Members

We’re a team of people who want to help make lives better through research. We’d love to talk with you.

Stephen Buka, Sc.D.

Stephen Buka, Sc.D.

Professor and Principal Investigator - Brown University

Jill Goldstein, PhD

Jill Goldstein, PhD

Professor and Principal Investigator - Harvard Medical School

Jessica Almeida, MPH

Jessica Almeida, MPH

CPT Research Coordinator/Phlebotomist

Jessica Auerbach, BA

Jessica Auerbach, BA

Research Coordinator

Harlyn Aizley, Ed.M

Harlyn Aizley, Ed.M

Clinical Interviewer

Jenna Blujus, PhD

Jenna Blujus, PhD

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Samantha DeLong, MS

Samantha DeLong, MS

Research Coordinator/Interviewer

Jo-Ann Donatelli, PhD

Jo-Ann Donatelli, PhD

Project Director working with various NEFS projects for 31 years

Elizabeth Sharp, BA

Elizabeth Sharp, BA

Research Coordinator

Jaislene Vinas, BA

Jaislene Vinas, BA

Research Coordinator/Interviewer

Contact Us

Whether you are already participating in NEFS, this is new and you want to learn how to get involved, or you just want to learn more, contact us.

Address:

New England Family Study
Brown University
Box G-S121-2
121 S. Main Street
Providence, RI 02912

Phone:

401-863-3381

Email:

nefs@brown.edu