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Animations launched with party for parents

On 27th February 2024 we launched our new animation series, 'My Baby's Brain', with a party! We had lots of fun sharing the animations with parents and staff from the Newborn Care Unit, and discussing infant brain development using some of our interactive resources.

Research shows comforting babies eases parental stress in painful procedures

Department Publication Research

The Neuroimaging Group, at the Department of Paediatrics, in collaboration with Bliss, the charity for babies born premature or sick, has launched a new suite of information resources for parents of neo-nates, designed to make them feel more confident about being involved in the care of their babies.

Paediatric Neuroimaging Group launches animation series to support parents of premature infants

Research

Professor Caroline Hartley, Principal Investigator, and Dr Marianne van der Vaart, Postdoctoral Researcher, in the Paediatric Neuroimaging Group at the Department of Paediatrics, have today launched a series of animations aimed at improving parental understanding of brain development in premature infants, and the effect it has on breathing and apnoeas (the cessation of breathing).

Professor Rebeccah Slater presented with Excellent Supervisor Award

Department

Rebeccah Slater, Professor of Paediatric Neuroscience, Senior Wellcome Fellow and Chair of the Department of Paediatrics’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee, has been presented with the Excellent Supervisor Award by the Head of the Medical Sciences Division (MSD).

Brain and mental health from infancy to adolescence

Our research has been featured in the University's "Brain and Mental Health" campaign, which highlights how some of the best minds at one of the world's leading universities are building on centuries of knowledge, and shaping the future of brain and mental health in the context of infant neuroscience and developmental psychology.

INC Meeting

On 15 and 16 November 2023 members of our team attended the International Neonatal Consortium (INC) Scientific Meeting in Bethesda. The INC is an international collaboration that brings together nurses, doctors, scientists, parents, regulators, and industry partners to improve neonatal care. We enjoyed the interesting talks from colleagues and parents who are at the forefront of neonatal care across the world. In addition, we were able to share our plans to improve the assessment of pain in neonatal clinical trials with the wider community.

Paediatric Neurorunners for SSNAP take on Oxford Half Marathon

General

Members of the Paediatric Neuroimaging Research Group at the University of Oxford (based at the Newborn Care Unit) decided to team up to support SSNAP (Support for Sick Newborns And their Parents). The team of four (Simon Marchant, Maz Aspbury, Luke Baxter and Marianne van der Vaart) signed up for the Oxford half marathon on 16th October 2022 to raise money for the charity through sponsorship. A couple of injuries meant that only two crossed the finish line, but they put in enough effort for the whole team!

The development of pain perception in early life

Research

In this interview, Ebony chats with Rebeccah Slater, a professor of Pediatric Neuroimaging in the Department of Pediatrics (Oxford University, UK), about her research on neonatal pain perception and her involvement in FENS 2022. Slater’s lab focuses on how pain perception develops in early life and how this research can better equip doctors to manage and treat pain in babies.

Early life infection increases sensitivity to pain in newborn babies

Researchers from Oxford’s Department of Paediatrics have discovered that infection can increase a baby’s sensitivity to pain, which may last longer than the infection.

Doctors learned how to save premature infants’ lives. They forgot about pain.

Research

Scientists are investigating how to treat pain in babies who can’t tell you when it hurts.

Why it's so hard to treat pain in infants

Research

For decades physicians believed that premature babies didn’t experience pain. Here’s what doctors know now – and the innovative solutions being embraced by today's caregivers.

Children’s pain ‘swept under the carpet for too long’ – Lancet Commission

Publication Research

The launch of Lancet Child and Adolescent Health Commission - the first ever to address paediatric pain - aims to raise the profile of children’s pain from early years to early adulthood.

What happens to humans when we can't touch?

Professor Rebeccah Slater explains how touch affects premature babies (external link to BBC Radio 4)

Visualising COVID-19 outbreak

Paediatric Neuroimaging researcher provides real-time case information on epidemiological data from the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sharing the benefits

General

At the beginning of the year our family leave policies were updated. Employees can now take up most of our family leave schemes from the first day of employment, meaning that more parents can now enjoy the benefits of our generous provisions. Hayriye Cagnan from the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and husband Eugene Duff from the Department of Paediatrics, discuss their experience of shared parental leave following baby Ida’s arrival ten months ago.

New design of ‘bike helmet’ style brain scanner used with children for first time

Research

A new wearable ‘bike helmet’ style brain scanner, that allows natural movement during scanning, has been used in a study with young children for the first time. This marks an important step towards improving our understanding of brain development in childhood.

Public Engagement with Research

Public engagement and outreach are an important priority for the Paediatric Neuroimaging Group. We regularly attend science festivals, visit schools, and take part in science communication events.

Neuroimaging research featured in Blueprint Magazine

Publication

In the latest issue of the Blueprint, Shaunna Latchman meets Professor of Paediatric Neuroimaging, Rebeccah Slater to discuss the Paediatric Neuroimaging Group and find out why a gentle touch really does goes a long way.

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