University of Alabama at Birmingham

ABOUT US

The HBCD team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is honored to partner with Alabama mothers, babies, and families to advance understanding of early brain development. Led by pediatric experts Drs. Cassandra Newsom and Myriam Peralta‑Carcelen, our team brings together clinicians, psychologists, an anthropologist, and dedicated research staff who work alongside families as trusted partners throughout the study. Families who participate generously share their time, experiences, and community‑rooted knowledge, contributions that are essential to research that truly reflects the lives of families across Alabama.

At UAB, we are deeply committed to creating research spaces that are safe, respectful, and responsive to families’ priorities. Because families deserve protection and dignity in research participation, our team takes special care navigating Alabama’s Chemical Endangerment statute. To protect privacy and reduce risk, staff are intentionally blinded to certain screening results and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with community partners, treatment providers, and allied agencies. Our approach centers trust, confidentiality, and shared responsibility, ensuring families can participate with confidence and care. The HBCD UAB team strives to make participation welcoming and supportive for families from all backgrounds by offering connections to pediatric care, specialty services, mental health supports, early intervention, and culturally informed community resources. We are especially committed to including families from communities whose voices are too often missing from research. Their lived expertise, insights, and contributions strengthen our collective understanding of how children grow and thrive. Together we can ensure that research serves the communities it is meant to benefit.