Who We Are
Early Check is a research study offering free additional screening tests in North Carolina.
The study is led by well-known research institutions across the state.
Our Story
Early Check is led by RTI International, a nonprofit research institute whose mission is to improve the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. RTI's headquarters are in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
RTI and our partners developed Early Check because of our focus on improving the lives of individuals and families affected by special healthcare needs. Our team at RTI brings a range of expertise to newborn screening, including medical genetics, laboratory testing, genetic counseling, health communication, public health, informed decision making, ethics, family adaptation, special education, and child assessment. Read more about our story.
Who Are Our Partners?
Historically, Early Check has benefited from our unique partnerships with the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health (NCSLPH), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Wake Forest University, and Duke University. Each legacy partner has brought expertise that helps Early Check improve the well-being of babies and families across the state and beyond.
Currently, our partner academic institution is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We continue to rely on our relationship with the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health (NCSLPH) to make Early Check possible. NCSLPH conducts standard newborn screening on all babies born in the state using the blood sample taken from the baby’s heel in the hospital.
"The North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health is excited to be advancing the science of newborn screening through our partnership with RTI."
– Scott J. Zimmerman, DrPH, MPH, Former Director of NCSLPH
Who Are Our Supporters?
Early Check was initially supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences program. It received $5 million to launch and sustain the program statewide for the first five years.
Early Check is supported by a public-private partnership.
The study is currently supported by:
- JDRF
- The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
- Janssen Pharmaceuticals
- Orchard Therapeutics
- Travere Therapeutics
- North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TraCS)
- Sarepta Theraputics
Our current laboratory partners:
Legacy supporters include:
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH
- Asuragen
- CureSMA
- The John Merck Fund
- Muscular Dystrophy Association
Meet Our Team
Our team brings a range of expertise to newborn screening, including medical genetics; laboratory testing; genetic counseling; health communication; public health; informed decision making; ethics; family adaptation; special education; and child assessment.
Click the links below to meet the RTI team and our current partners.