Developmental Approaches to Support Health (DASH) Lab

Dr. Jane Lanigan is a prevention scientist whose research focuses broadly on promoting the well-being of young children in early learning and family contexts. She oversees the Developmental Approaches to Support Health (DASH) laboratory which is studying practices that foster the development of healthy child weight trajectories and the dissemination of trauma-informed practices in early education settings. Dr. Lanigan was the lead researcher for the ENcouraging Healthy Activity and Nutrition in Childcare Environments (ENHANCE) study, a community based participatory research project. She is currently involved in three multi-state, multi-disciplinary Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) childhood obesity prevention grants. She serves on the national technical advisory board for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Child and Adult Care Food Program and the community advisory board of the Community Outreach and Translation Core for Children’s Environmental Health Research Center. In 2013, Dr. Lanigan received the Vancouver Chancellor’s award for Research Excellence.