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Improving The Immediate And Longer-Term Health Outcomes Of Preterm Infants
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,661,088.00
Summary
Premature babies develop health problems that persist throughout life and impact on mental, physical and social well-being. As all body systems are immature at birth, premature babies can develop one or many different health problems. Many factors before, during and after birth may influence the baby’s response to different treatments. Our collaborative research program seeks to understand the big picture, to help us design better treatments that improve long term outcomes after preterm birth.
Novel Strategies For Improving Respiratory Support And Outcomes For Very Preterm Babies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,381,820.00
Summary
Very premature birth is the commonest cause of illness and death in newborn babies, making it one of the most serious and costly issues in perinatal medicine. The major problem suffered by very premature babies is lung immaturity and its associated harmful effects on brain development. Most very premature babies require resuscitation followed by ventilatory support,often for several weeks. This is extremely expensive and places an enormous financial burden on health care systems. Furthermore, it ....Very premature birth is the commonest cause of illness and death in newborn babies, making it one of the most serious and costly issues in perinatal medicine. The major problem suffered by very premature babies is lung immaturity and its associated harmful effects on brain development. Most very premature babies require resuscitation followed by ventilatory support,often for several weeks. This is extremely expensive and places an enormous financial burden on health care systems. Furthermore, it increases the risks of respiratory illnesses, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia and chronic lung disease which can impair breathing and increase susceptibility to respiratory disease such as asthma later in life. The overall aim of this program is to improve outcomes for very premature babies, including less lung injury, better respiratory health and shorter stays in hospitals. In order to reduce the health burden caused by very premature birth on the community we need to know more about how it alters the normal development of the lungs in the newborn period and into later life. In particular, we need to understand the cellular and molecular processes involved in lung development so that we can identify gene networks and developmental processes that are disrupted by severe premature birth. Such knowledge is necessary to provide a more rational, scientific basis for managing and treating the alterations in lung structure and function caused by premature birth. We also need to develop better ways of resuscitating and ventilating these infants so that lung injury is minimized.The research team is led by two neonatologists and three biomedical research scientists with a proven record of effective collaboration. This team is internationally unique in that it includes practicing neonatologists, respiratory physiologists and molecular biologists who have collaborated together productively and are regarded as world leaders in their respective fields. New talents have been brought into the team to provide expertise in pulmonary stem cell biology, the design of novel steroid drugs, and clinical follow-up. Together, this team has the potential (a) to greatly enhance the understanding of the impact of very premature birth on the developing lung, (b) to improve resuscitation and ventilation techniques, and (c) to translate the new knowledge into clinical practice to improve the outcome for prematurely born babies. Using well characterized animal models we will determine gene networks involved in fetal lung development and how these are altered by premature birth. The successful transition from fetal to postnatal life is critical for survival at birth but more information is needed. Using newborn lambs and rabbits, we will trial novel strategies for enhancing the transformation of the immaturelung into an effective gas exchange organ at birth. New data on lung aeratioRead moreRead less
Optimising Asthma Management In Pregnancy For Optimal Infant Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,065.00
Summary
Asthma affects 12% of pregnant women in Australia. These women are at increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth and hospitalisation of the neonate. Reducing asthma attacks by providing optimal asthma management during pregnancy may lower these risks. This research will test whether a strategy which determines treatment changes based on a marker of airway inflammation, improves outcomes for maternal, neonatal and child health.
Defining Epigenetic Predictors Of Long-term Outcomes Of Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$409,408.00
Summary
On average, those born premature do worse health-wise than those born at term. However, some do worse than others. Our aim is to identify these people at birth to better help doctors and parents to closely monitor their health. For this, we will be “reading the diary of pregnancy” in the molecules added to chromosomes in blood during pregnancy in young adults with will characterised states of health. We will analyse DNA from blood that we will extract from stored heel prick spots.
Each year approximately 24,000 Australian children are born too early. A new international study led by Western Australian researchers is studying the role that genetics play in preterm birth. This study will evaluate the genomes of 10,000 women of which 2,000 come from Western Australia. It is anticipated that this study will advance our knowledge about the genetic basis of preterm birth and assist in providing customised clinical care to those at highest risk.
The Breathing For Life Trial (BLT): A Randomised Trial Of Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Based Management Of Asthma During Pregnancy And Its Impact On Perinatal Outcomes And Infant And Childhood Respiratory Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,722,020.00
Summary
Asthma affects 12% of pregnant women in Australia. These women are at increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth and hospitalisation of the neonate. Reducing asthma attacks by providing optimal asthma management during pregnancy may lower these risks. We will test whether a strategy which determines treatment changes based on a marker of airway inflammation, improves outcomes for maternal, neonatal and child health.