INFANT CENTRE TO HOST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NEWBORN BRAIN MONITORING & NEUROPROTECTION

22nd September 2015

World Leaders on Newborn Medicine and Research to Convene in Cork for the 9th International Conference on Brain Monitoring and Neuroprotection in the Newborn

A world class international faculty of key opinion leaders in the field of Neonatal Brain Monitoring and Neuroprotection will convene in Cork on 1 October to attend a 3 day conference. The conference, co-hosted by the Cork based SFI funded INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork will provide a forum to discuss and showcase the most current research conducted internationally to improve the neurological and developmental health outcomes of sick newborns.

“This is the first time that this global conference has been held in Ireland and only the third time that it has been held outside of the USA. This conference will explore the latest methodologies to understand, monitor, protect and treat the developing brain of premature and full-term babies. It will inform those attending on clinical updates, novel applications and emerging research” said Professor Geraldine Boylan. Professor Boylan is Director of the INFANT Research Centre, Professor of Neonatal Physiology at UCC and conference host and co-chair.

INFANT is Ireland’s first dedicated perinatal research centre based in Cork University Maternity Hospital. The centre is an international leader of discovery and innovation in perinatal healthcare, undertaking world class collaborative research and partnering with a diverse array of national and international stakeholders in industry and academia.

“Irish innovation in perinatal healthcare research at the INFANT centre is leading the world – that is why we are hosting this Conference in Cork; the pioneering research that we are conducting is attracting international recognition. We are very fortunate to have a faculty comprised of international leaders attending: a wealth of knowledge and experience will be shared in an interactive atmosphere,” she added.

Speakers at the conference include specialists from Asia, Europe and the United States. A flavour of the high profile speakers include, Professor Alistair Gunn, a paediatrician-scientist in the Department of Physiology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand who’s research team is responsible for the development of brain hypothermia – the first ever technique to reduce brain injury due to low oxygen levels at birth. This is the only medical intervention proven to reduce brain damage, and improve an infant's chance of survival. This simple and effective treatment has now become standard of care around the world.

Professor Terrie Inder, The Mary Ellen Avery Professor of Pediatrics in the Field of Newborn Medicine at Harvard Medical School will speak on understanding the timing, mechanisms and impact of cerebral injury and altered cerebral development in infants. Her colleague from Harvard Professor Jeffrey Neil, who specialises in neonatal neurology will discuss his research focusing on MRI imaging of the brains of premature infants.

Professor Lena Hellström-Westas, Professor of Perinatal Medicine at Uppsala University, and Senior Consultant in Neonatology at the Department of Neonatology, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden is a pioneer within the field of continuous monitoring with amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG), and has investigated clinical effects and pharmacokinetics of lidocaine.

Professor Linda S de Vries is a Professor in Neonatal Neurology and Consultant Neonatologist at University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands. Her research focuses on prediction of neurodevelopmental outcome in high risk preterm and full-term newborns, using neurophysiology and neuro-imaging methods. At the conference she will present on the importance of MRI in neonatal seizures.

The conference will take place at Fota Island Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, Cork from 1 – 3 October 2015. For a full list of speakers and for a conference agenda see http://newbornbrain2015.com/

* * * ENDS * * *

Return to the Archive News section