By Texas A&m University Health Science Center on Thursday, June 11, 2026 New $2. 9 million NIH grant will lead to a better understanding of how alcohol use before conception influences the child's risk for developmental disorders, chronic disease and accelerated aging.

June 5, 2026 By Camryn Haines, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Dr. Michael Golding and his research team are uncovering how a father's drinking habits before conception can influence offspring health and development, potentially paving the way for earlier detection and intervention for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Credit: Abbey Toronjo/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing and Communications A growing body of research suggests that a father's health before conception may play a larger role in child development than previously understood - and researchers are working to understand how a father's drinking before conception may affect offspring health and development.