Director Prof. SENJU Atsushi

　The center has been developing itself to research linked with public health and mental health in children, and in part adolescents and adults as well, extending to multidisciplinary activities, while in collaboration with other associated universities (Osaka, Kanazawa, Chiba, Fukui, and Hirosaki). One of the activities includes the initiation of the Hamamatsu Birth Cohort (HBC) studies in which about 1,200 children have been followed up since November 2007 to ascertain a wide range of developments, i.e., physical health as well as neuropsychological milestones, to elucidate problems or hardship in health which children undergo and to discover preventive measures. At the same time, we are fostering professionals who specialize in child development through educational programs run by the United Graduate School of Child Development (postgraduate courses) under the joint-organization of the five associated universities.