INFANT Centre News

Monday 21 August 2017 Promising Research Infant is proud to congratulate Dr. Cathal McCarthy and Dr. Jane English, who have both won an Emerging Investigator Award from the Health Research Board. The HRB Emerging Investigator Awards supports researchers in the middle of their careers to build sustainable research programmes. With an investment of €8.3 million, the HRB are rewarding 11 successful researchers for their "diversity and ability to multitask". Dr. McCarthy and Dr. English will now contribute groundbreaking research towards improvements in general health, policy and practice. They will also act as mentors to the next generation of researchers. Rare Blood Samples Dr. English's research focuses on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a complex disorder of brain development. By identifying blood biomarkers in the blood at birth, Dr. English hopes to diagnose ASD at an early stage and maximise the effectiveness of therapy and treatment. The Emerging Investigator Award will allow Dr. English to access rare blood samples from several international birth cohorts including the Danish National Birth Cohort, the Aarhus Birth Cohort, and Cork’s own BASELINE Birth Cohort (http://www.baselinestudy.net/). This makes it the largest Autism Biomarker Discovery programme undertaken to date. Common Complications of Pregnancy Dr McCarthy’s research interest is in the area of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, two common complications of pregnancy becoming more prevalent in Ireland. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been identified for its possible influence on both conditions, with Dr. McCarthy's study [...]

Monday 31 July 2017 The International Stillbirth Alliance Annual Conference will be held in Cork, Ireland from 22-24th September 2017 at the University College Cork campus. The Conference will take place over two days, Saturday and Sunday, with a mixture of plenary and concurrent sessions from invited speakers and selected presentations from conference abstracts. 10 CPD points will be awarded to delegates of the ISA Conference. Pre- conference, an IMPROVE workshop will be held on Friday 22nd September (https://sanda.psanz.com.au/clinical-practice/improve/).

Tuesday 18 July 2017 On 4 June, the amazing Jane O'Sullivan ran in the Cork Marathon - all 26 miles and 385 yards of it - in aid of the research in the INFANT Centre. We are overwhelmed by Jane's efforts and generosity, and of all the people who donated to her. We are so thankful for your support and generosity.   When asked why she ran the marathon, Jane noted "I decided to fundraise for INFANT because I wanted not only to raise money for a worthwhile cause but also to taise awareness in the public domain about the great work that is undertaken in their research for women and babies. Many people are unaware of the progress that has been made and is continuing to be made, thanks to the tireless efforts of those who work at INFANT. I wanted to help in some way to promote such a worthy cause". We thank Jane, and everyone who donated so generously, from the bottom of our hearts. The donations will have a huge impact in our research efforts to combat pregnancy loss.  

Tuesday 11 July 2017 Professor Louise Kenny wins Guaranteed Irish Science Hero award Professor Louise Kenny, Director of INFANT, has just been named as the Guaranteed Irish Science Hero for 2017. Prof Kenny was selected for the award following a public nomination process and received the award at the INFANT Research Centre, a world-leading Science Foundation Ireland research centre in University College Cork and Cork University Maternity Hospital, Cork City. CEO of Guaranteed Irish, Brid O'Connell said: “Professor Kenny is a true ambassador for Ireland so it is with great pleasure that we name her as the very first Guaranteed Irish Science Hero today. Whilst we received hundreds of very strong nominations from the public, Professor Kenny had by far the strongest support and was the clear winner of the Guaranteed Irish Science Hero Award for 2017."   Pioneer “Professor Kenny’s research group has pioneered the use of metabolomic technology, helping to reduce infant and mother fatalities. It is because of this commitment to pregnancy research and in developing innovative technologies to improve the treatment and care available to mothers and babies that she has been awarded this accolade. I would like to wish Professor Kenny and all her team at INFANT the very best for their continued research in this area!” Perinatal and Neonatal Research Growing in Ireland On receiving the Guaranteed Irish Hero Award for Science, [...]

Tuesday 04 July 2017 The paper is entitled "V2Hz: Music Composition from Wind Turbine Energy using a Finite-State Machine" and will be published on IEEEExplore. The paper explores the spatial sonification of distributed information sources based on an algorithmic approach to music. By developing an algorithm that adopts the rules of music theory, it was possible to sonify random information sources in a manner which sounds similar to western music (i.e. the generated music is in a specific key, and forms chord progressions based on the solely on the data of the raw information sources). As test data we used the output voltages of wind turbines. The next stage will be to use this algorithm to sonify more complex EEG voltage signals in real-time.

Tuesday 27 June 2017 Advancing Neonatal Care Infant trial data has shown that Incereb's Neon EEG device can improve treatment for babies in neonatal care. As a world-renowned pregnancy research centre, Infant played a key role in securing Incereb's funding and distribution. Significant Collaboration Incereb's CEO Jim Roche called their collaboration with Infant "enormously significant" in attracting US distribution. Clinicians in the United States, Mr. Roche noted, recognised Infant as a leader in the field, proving the marketability of the Neon EEG device. Life Changing Research Infant are very proud of their collaboration with Incereb, which shows the power of research to change the lives of mothers and babies worldwide. To read The Business Post's full article on Incereb's success, click here (subscription required).  Related Links The Business Post: "Incereb Celebrates Success after Funding Round" (Subscription)

Tuesday 20 June 2017 At Infant, we are comitted to making science interesting and accessible to young learners. When our Outreach team visits schools, our clever robot friend Cubetto is always eager to join us! Recently, Cubetto paid a visit to junior and senior classes from St. Patrick's Infants National School in Cork. What is Cubetto? Cubetto is a robot toy which introduces children to the art of coding. Suitable for ages three to seven, Cubetto is an interactive, fun way for children to code without the need for a screen. Coding is a language, and just like a new language, an early experience with coding open doors for children later in life. The Worskshops Our 'workshops' include a number of fun activities which teach young learners how to program Cubetto. Using code, Cubetto can draw, navigate obstacles and travel across maps and mazes. Cubetto's deceptively simple design shows how we can use search algorithms, functions and loops to solve problems and learn about the world. To Infinity and Beyond! Another great activity we brought along to St. Patrick's Infant NS was Rocket Mouse. Using paper, an empty bottle and a little imagination, learners can see how forces like air and pressure help to move objects. Rocket Mouse encourages children to design and experiment, so that they can launch their mice into the stars!

Friday 19 May 2017 Monday 22 May 2017 will mark the first ever World Preeclampsia Day. Follow the #WorldPreeclampsiaDay hashtag on Twitter and share your story!  Support the Thunderclap campaign to tell the world. Preeclampsia Can Affect ANY Woman At the INFANT Centre, we are working to combat preeclampsia with our IMPROvED project. Almost 1500 mothers in CUMH have volunteered for the study which aims to develop a predictive test for preeclampsia. Our INFANT Researchers created this video to mark the day: Pre-eclampsia is most common in the second half of pregnancy and can still strike up to six weeks after delivery. Women can sometimes be symptomless, but many symptoms are also easy to dismiss. Awareness of the signs is vital. Our director, and consultant obstetrician at CUMH, Prof Louise Kenny notes that "As healthcare professionals, we never, ever mind seeing someone, reviewing a mother who is worried about herself in pregnancy. We would much rather see 100 women and reassure them that they are fine than miss even one who has signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia and who has dismissed them or ignored them." All maternity units are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There will always be a senior duty midwife available on the phone (whether you are seen publically or privately). If any mother is concerned, call the hospital. Know the symptoms. They could save [...]

Monday 10 April 2017 Partnership Announced Between INFANT & Global Partners to Explore Optimal Nutrition for Premature Infants   PiNPoINT Investigator team – L-R: Dr Elaine McCarthy, postdoctoral researcher, Dr Brendan Murphy, Consultant Neonatologist, CUMH, Teresa Berkery, Project Manager, Stephen Lane, Software Developer, Aileen Regan, Danone Nutricia, Ana-O’Reilly Marshall, Neonatal Research Dietician, Prof Mairead Kiely, Principal Investigator, Sarah Fenton, Pharmacist, Bairbre Hickie, Fresenius Kabi, Ann-Marie Brennan, Clinical Specialist Neonatal Dietitian, Christian Stafford, Business Development Manager, INFANT, Brian O’Mullane, Creme Global, Conor McGauran, Creme Global, Dr Kevin Walsh, Science Foundation Ireland (Photo: Paul Sherwood Photography)   On April 5, the INFANT Centre, a leading Science Foundation Ireland research centre at University College Cork, today announced the launch of the Personalised Nutrition for the Preterm Infant (PiNPoINT) Study. The study aims to develop software to aid personalized nutritional management of preterm infants who have a very low birth weight. Science Foundation Ireland will invest more than €1M in the project with further support coming from three leading international partners: Creme Global, Danone Nutricia and Fresenius Kabi.   Why is PiNPoINT Needed? 1 in 16 babies is born prematurely in Ireland, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) acknowledges that premature birth can cause a host of problems for the baby and it is the second leading cause of death for children under 5 worldwide. [...]

Thursday 06 April 2017 William Hutch is a medical researcher from University College Cork. He has a PhD in neuroscience and is involved in the neonatal brain research group at INFANT. In his TEDxUCC talk, he reveals for the first time the undiscovered phenomenon of how we can now look at and listen to the brain of a preterm infant using EEG. This may allow doctors to detect the early warning signs of any neurological change in such preterm infants. In a sense, the preterm infant is actually telling us when they are not feeling well.

Monday 03 April 2017 We look forward to seeing you there!

Friday 31 March 2017   Cork’s Lifelong Learning Festival promotes and celebrates learning of all kinds, whatever your age, interest or ability.   Dr Simon Woodworth, will give a talk on his work as Lead Investigator in the LEANBH project at Blackrock Castle Observatory, in Blackrock, Cork at 20:00 on Friday 7 April.   Learning to Evaluate Blood Pressure at Home (LEANBH) is a study which investigates hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Find out why this is important and see a demonstration of the equipment used.   More information here: http://www.bco.ie/ 

Thursday 30 March 2017 Groundbreaking Collaboration We are delighted to announce our collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Innovation to explore the effects of sleep on baby brain development. INFANT, a world leading Science Foundation Ireland funded research Centre at University College Cork (UCC) and Cork University Maternity Hospital, announced today that it will collaborate with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Services EAME Ltd. for the Baby Enrichment Research Programme, ENRICH, to explore the effects of sleep on baby brain development. The collaboration was facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation. The announcement comes at the same time as World Sleep Day, an awareness programme engaging 72 countries around the world in a global call to action about the importance of sleep. Understanding Sleep The ENRICH research programme aims to understand the effects of sleep behaviours on the cognitive development of infants. Results from the study aim to help to promote early and lifelong health as sleep is essential for brain development in infants. This research programme will examine detailed information about sleep in infants using both parental observations and objective brain activity measurement (EEG). Launching the ENRICH project, Prof Geraldine Boylan, co-director of the INFANT Centre said, “this unique collaboration is a fantastic opportunity. It will combine Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.’s research on the importance of multi-sensorial experiences for babies with INFANT’s international expertise in infant [...]

Wednesday 22 March 2017 "If You Go into the Wards Today ..." This week, children from three local schools in Cork brought their teddy bears to CUH's new outpatient paediatric department. These junior doctors were giving their cuddly patients a check up at our Teddy Bear Hospital. Organised by Cork University Hospital, the INFANT Centre and UCC's Medical Society, the Teddy Bear Hospital introduces children to medical instruments and procedures in a fun learning environment. After an initial consultation with their brave teddy, the children decided on a treatment with the help of specialist CUH nurses, INFANT researchers and student doctors from UCC's Medical Society. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Previous Next Introducing Children to Doctors Prof. Jonathan Hourihane, Professor of Paediatrics at CUH and Principal Investigator at INFANT, explained why the Teddy Bear Hospital was such a success: "The aim of the Teddy Bear Hospital is to introduce children to doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals in the hospital, through the eyes of their teddy. This is done in a friendly and entertaining way so they will have a better idea of what to expect if they ever need to visit to the hospital, or will have helped them adjust to experiences they may have already had here or elsewhere. It’s also important for them to see that we do research in the hospital to develop new treatments and improve care for [...]

Monday 27 February 2017 Three new studies from the Pregnancy Loss Research Group have been published surrounding the impact of stillbirth and intrapartum death.   Led by our PI, Dr Keelin O'Donoghue, the research explores the impact on parents and on healthcare professionals with recommendations for how to improve care. The death of a baby through stillbirth is recognized as one of life’s most challenging bereavements and it has long-lasting consequences New research from the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at INFANT explored the impact of how bad news was communicated to parents following a diagnosis of stillbirth. Interviews were conducted with 17 parents who were bereaved following stillbirth. The way the diagnosis of stillbirth was communicated to parents had a profound and lasting impact The researchers found that the way the diagnosis was communicated was profoundly important. The parents recalled in detail where and how the bad news was broken to them, and language the clinician used. If the clinicians used diversionary techniques, it created a sense of mistrust especially if the parents felt that information was being withheld. The study highlights the importance of language, sensitivity, and the environment in which the news is delivered. The researchers recommend that clinicians engage in patient-focused communication training in order to help them communicate in an open, sensitive and honest way.   Paper Available here: Communication Skills in Obstetrics: What Can We Learn from Bereaved Parents? Stillbirth is [...]

Monday 27 February 2017 Information The Conference will take place over two days, Saturday and Sunday, with a mixture of plenary and concurrent sessions from invited speakers and selected presentations from conference abstracts. Pre-conference workshops will be held on Friday 22nd of September followed by the ISA Official Opening Ceremony & Welcome Reception. Key Dates Abstract Submission Deadline: January 19th - April 21st 2017 Early Bird Registration Deadline: 2nd June 2017 Confirmed Speakers Professor Fran Boyle The University of Queensland, Australia Dr Molly Byrne National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland Professor Alan Cameron University of Glasgow, Scotland Dr Myra Cullinane Dublin District Coroner, Ireland Professor Jane Dahlstrom The Australian National University Dr Mary Devins Our lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, Ireland Professor Soo Downe University of Central Lancashire, UK Professor Elizabeth Draper University of Leicester, United Kingdom Professor Richard Greene National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, Ireland Dr Alexander Heazell The University of Manchester, UK Professor Mary Higgins University College Dublin, Ireland Professor Stephen Kennedy University of Oxford, UK Professor Louise Kenny INFANT, Ireland Professor Joan Lalor Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Professor Stephen Liben McGill University, Canada Professor Fergal Malone Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Dr Tracy Mills The University of Manchester, UK Mr Bryan Nolan Irish Hospice Foundation Professor Michael Turner University College Dublin, Ireland Dr Jane Warland University of South Australia Ms Aleena Wojcieszek The University [...]

Friday 10 February 2017 Dr Andrey Temko, INFANT researcher, has won a prestigious international competition for his work in predicting seizures in the human brain through long-term EEG recordings. Highest Accuracy Together with data scientists from Ornon, France; Curitiba, Brazil; and Minneapolis, US, Dr Temko developed an artificial intelligence solution that showed the highest accuracy among nearly 500 competing teams from around the world. Seizure Forcasting The aim of the Kaggle event was to develop seizure forecasting systems with the potential to help patients with epilepsy lead more normal lives. Epilepsy afflicts nearly 1% of the world's population, and is characterised by the occurrence of spontaneous seizures. Huge Achievement INFANT Centre co-director  Prof Geraldine Boylan congratulated Andriy on this prestigious win, noting "this is a huge achievement at an international level. We are really delighted to have Dr Temko’s unique expertise here in the INFANT centre. He has used his skills in machine learning to develop a novel computer programme that can automatically detect seizures in newborn babies who are  in intensive care. Machine Learning This computer programme was translated into a cot-side medical device and a  clinical trial of this device has just been completed in eight centres across Europe (www.anserstudy.com).  Machine learning is contributing hugely to modern healthcare, particularly in supporting clinical decision making. At the INFANT centre, a large area of our research is focused on using machine learning to develop [...]

Tuesday 21 February 2017 INFANT researchers show that 46% of newborn babies have vitamin D deficiency Deficiency and Recommendations INFANT Centre researchers, in collaboration with the Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research, have reported a high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency amongst newborn babies. A newborn baby's Vitamin D status at birth is dependent on their mother’s vitamin D status during her pregnancy. These results highlight the need for specific vitamin D recommendations for mothers during pregnancy to avoid potential long-term health problems for their children. High Deficiency in Winter This research, which is published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, originates from the SCOPE-BASELINE Birth Cohort Study, funded by the National Children’s Research Centre. SCOPE-BASELINE is Ireland’s first and largest birth cohort study which is following 1500 first-time mothers and their babies: it has recently completed all the 5-year assessments of the children enrolled in the study. The published research indicates that 46% of newborns had a vitamin D deficiency at birth and the deficiency was particularly higher (62%) for babies born in wintertime. INFANT researchers recommend specific vitamin D policies for mothers during pregnancy Unique Data Despite the high level of vitamin D deficiency found in newborn babies, there were no immediate negative effects on bone health during infancy. This, in all probability, is due to the high level of parents complying [...]

Tuesday 07 February 2017 The Directors and Executive Management Team are delighted to announce that Professor Declan Devane will join the INFANT Centre as Principal Investigator in the INFANT Team. Exciting Expansion Prof Devane’s joining of INFANT marks a very exciting time of expansion in the centre. Prof Louise Kenny noted, “Declan brings a wealth of experience and knowledge which will extend the research areas of our centre.  He is a leading expert in his field and we are really looking forward to working together to expand the impact that INFANT can have for maternity care”. Prof Geraldine Boylan added, “Declan has an international record of excellence in teaching and research which will greatly help us to achieve our goal of improving health outcomes for mothers and their children around the world”. Wealth of Experience Declan is Professor of Midwifery at NUI Galway and the Director of the Health Research Board - Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN). Declan has a particular interest in the implementation and evaluation of models of maternity care, and on methods of fetal monitoring. He is an expert in conducting randomised trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. He has published over 110 papers including numerous Cochrane systematic reviews predominantly in the field of fetal assessment. Meeting Global Needs The Vice President for Research and Innovation at UCC, Professor Anita Maguire welcomed the addition of this talented [...]

Monday 06 February 2017 On 31 January, four of the Principal Investigators of the BASELINE Study came together in the Aula Maxima at UCC to discuss what we have learned after finishing all the 5-year assessments for the children enrolled in the study. Downloads of the PIs presentations are available at the bottom of the page.   The aims of BASELINE were to: Explore the prevalence of food allergy and eczema Investigate maternal and neonatal Vitamin D status Examine the metabolic and developmental effects of IUGR Build a foundation for studying the cohort through childhood and into adulthood.   5 centres collaborated 5 centres collaborated: Food and Nutritional Sciences, UCC Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College Dublin Obstetrics & Gynaecology, UCC Paediatrics & Child Health, College of Medicine & Health, UCC Neonatal Brain Research Group, UCC   The study was funded by the National Children's Research Centre. 2137 mother and baby pairs were recruited to the study 1 2 3 4 5 Previous Next There are currently 6.5 MILLION data points in the BASELINE database, each constituting of a measurement or questionnaire answer. We are hoping to carry on the BASELINE study, and meet with the children and parents again at 10 years.   Sincere thanks to all involved: to the families and our funders for making it possible! Downloads BASELINE Overview BASELINE - [...]

Thursday 02 February 2017 INFANT is delighted to be hosting the 10th International Conference on Brain Monitoring and Neuroprotection in the Newborn, 5-7 October 2017 in Kerry, Ireland. This conference provides a state of the art forum for discussion of current research and clinical care in newborn brain monitoring and neuroprotection. With an international faculty of leading opinion leaders, this conference provides a unique opportunity to hear brain monitoring and neuroprotection discussed comprehensively with an intersection between research and evidence-based clinical care at a time when both fields are growing rapidly. Accompanying workshops are an integral part of the conference and are designed to guide and provide a unique training experience.   Registration will be available on http://newbornbrain2017.com/   The international conference faculty have been announced: http://newbornbrain2017.com/faculty/  Co-Chaired by our director, Prof Geraldine Boylan.   Related Links Newborn Brain Conference Website

Monday 30 January 2017 Summary Little Book of Irish Science: 100 Things You Should Know showcases the groundbreaking research taking place in Ireland. Read about INFANT Centre projects and innovations on pages 1, 75 and 76. Read on ISSUU: Downloads Science Foundation Ireland Little Book of Irish Science

Monday 30 January 2017 Bite-Sized Science On January 25th, science took over Triskel Christchurch in Cork for the FameLab Munster Heat. FameLab is one of the biggest science communication competitions in the world. Presenters have three minutes to explain a scientific concept to their audience. In 2016, INFANT's own Daragh Finn claimed 3rd place in the FameLab Ireland final. Stress and Prediction INFANT's speakers at event represented the diverse nature of our research. Our Young Researcher of the Year, Katie Togher, took to the stage first to explain how stress affects mothers and babies. The next INFANT speaker, Deirdre Hayes-Ryan, gave the audience a compelling presentation titled "Pre-eclampsia: knowing is half the battle". Finding ways to fight pre-eclampsia and keep mums safe is one of INFANT's core research missions. Sunshine and High Voltage Karen O'Callaghan told a full-house at the Triskel why sunshine is so important to our wellbeing, reflecting the findings of INFANT researchers in the ODIN study. In "Danger, Danger, High Voltage?!", Alison O'Shea looked to dispel myths about the dangers of electricity, highlighting the key role it plays in groundbreaking scientific research. Congratulations to our FameLab contestants on a great achievement!

Tuesday 10 January 2017 The Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study; Irelands largest birth cohort study has just completed its study of children from before birth through to 5 years of age. We wish to mark this milestone by sharing our findings with the families who have given so generously of their time, and the broader UCC community. Please join us to celebrate what we have achieved together on 31 January 2017 at 19:00 in the Aula Maxima, UCC.   Please RSVP to the event here   Our wonderful participants were recruited through their parents, before they were born. They have been followed up at many time points since then with detailed assessments of their growth, development, health, and disease. Funded by the National Children's Research Centre, this multi-disciplinary study aims to answer important questions regarding allergy, nutrition, growth and development in Irish children. We have already made important discoveries regarding children’s health and collected information which we hope will answer many more questions in the years to come. Join us to hear what the BASELINE data has taught us! Related Links BASELINE Website

Wednesday 04 January 2017 Pre-eclampsia, a serious condition of late pregnancy, characterized by high blood pressure and increased protein in the urine in the second-half of pregnancy. This condition affects 5% of first time mothers and is associated with significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. A quarter of babies born to women with pre-eclampsia do not grow properly, and a third are born prematurely. Globally, 76,000 mothers and 500,000 infants die each year as a direct result of this condition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 20% of the 15 million preterm births reported each year are related to pre-eclampsia. Currently there is no treatment for pre-eclampsia. Picture Above: Mitochondria are critical metabolic signalling organelles in pre-eclampsia The placenta is a highly metabolic organ. The central role of mitochondria is the synthesis of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. Electrons donated from carbohydrates oxidized by TCA cycle including NADH pass through ETC and ultimately reduce O2 to form H2O. As electrons are transported a proton (H+) gradient develops across the inner mitochondrial membrane facilitating the conversion of ADP to ATP by Complex V of the ETC. Superoxide (O2−) is generated by the ETC and is converted to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which can easily diffuse through mitochondrial membranes and mediate redox signalling. Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to exaggerated O2− generation (oxidative stress) with subsequent maternal endothelial dysfunction. mtDNA is [...]