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Our research

Our research focuses on human neonatal brain development. We undertake mechanistic research, clinical trials, methodology development (MRI, EEG and analytical approaches), and aim to develop tools which can be translated for use in hopsitals.

Themes
Projects

Analysis Methods

Analysis Methods

We investigate whether changes in breathing effect brain development and how the brain and respiratory systems mature in premature babies.

Breathing and Brain Development

We conduct clinical trials in infants and use neuroimaging techniques to evaluate interventions.

Clinical Trials

We use MRI and EEG to investigate how the human brain changes in early development.

Human Brain Development

Identifying when infants are in pain is challenging as they cannot tell us their experiences. We investigate how the brain responds to noxious stimuli to find better ways to measure and treat infant pain.

Infant Pain

Automated artefact detection in EEG

Automated artefact detection in EEG

Breathing and brain development - longitudinal study

Breathing and brain development - longitudinal study

Developing a standardised tool to measure pain in babies

Developing a standardised tool to measure pain in babies

Developing objective templates to characterise visual, tactile and noxious stimulus responses

Developing objective templates to characterise visual, tactile and noxious stimulus responses

Does gentle touch reduce infant pain-related brain activity?

Does gentle touch reduce infant pain-related brain activity?

We will obtain high resolution postmortem imaging data of the infant brain. This project is part of the developing Human Connectome Project and aims to improve our understanding of the structural and functional development of the human infant brain.

Forget-Me-Not - postmortem MRI

How do surgical procedures affect infant pain-related brain activity?

How do surgical procedures affect infant pain-related brain activity?

How does behavioural pain discrimination develop in early life?

How does behavioural pain discrimination develop in early life?

How does brain injury alter sensory processing in newborn infants?

How does brain injury alter sensory processing in newborn infants?

How does early life experience modulate the development of sensory function in human infants?

How does early life experience modulate the development of sensory function in human infants?

How does early life infection impact pain perception in infants?

How does early life infection impact pain perception in infants?

Identifying apnoea in preterm infants

Identifying apnoea in preterm infants

Identifying brain signatures and physiological markers of infant pain.

Identifying brain signatures and physiological markers of infant pain.

Investigating the relationship between respiration and brain activity

Investigating the relationship between respiration and brain activity

Is the descending pain modulatory system effective in newborn infants?

Is the descending pain modulatory system effective in newborn infants?

Developing next generation magnetoencephalography for children

MEG imaging in young children

Optimising Neonatal fMRI Data Analysis for noxious-evoked brain activity.

Optimising Neonatal fMRI Data Analysis for noxious-evoked brain activity.

Assessing the effect of anaemia during pregnancy on the brain development in infants, using MRI

PANDA

A randomised controlled trial to investigate the effects of parental touch on relieving acute procedural pain in neonates.

Petal: Parental touch trial

Poppi: Procedural Pain in Premature Infants

Poppi: Procedural Pain in Premature Infants

Quantifying individual infant nociceptive sensitivity

Quantifying individual infant nociceptive sensitivity