This research focuses on the exploration of the link between skin barrier dysfunction and systemic allergic disorders, threshold doses of food allergens, immunomodulation of established allergic responses, prevention of allergic sensitisation and evaluation of the quality of life in food allergic children. 

The ANSeR study is testing a computer algorithm that can detect seizures in newborn babies.  ANSeR aims to deliver a cotside tool that will help medical staff interpret EEG - it will be an EEG expert, available 24/7.

CAPTURE is a feasibility study aiming to determine if EEGs can be successfully performed in children with a reduced or altered consciousness level in the Emergency Department at Cork University Hospital within a specific time frame and that the EEG is of good quality that can be interpreted. As this is a feasibility study, the EEG recording will not be used in any clinical decision-making regarding the management of children at this phase of the study.

The CATePILLaR Study is evaluating the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on mother & baby’s health and wellbeing

The COMBINE study will improve our understanding of how diet and gut microbiome composition influence healthy growth and neurological development in early childhood.

Cerebral regional tissue Oxygen Saturation to Guide Oxygen Delivery
in preterm neonates during immediate transition after birth.  An investigator-initiated randomised, multi-centre, multinational, clinical trial on additional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation monitoring combined with defined treatment guidelines versus
standard monitoring and treatment as usual in premature infants during immediate
transition.  The primary objective of the COSGOD Phase III trial is to examine if it is possible to increase survival without cerebral injury in preterm neonates.  We hypothesise that by using cerebral tissue oxygen saturation in addition to SpO2 and HR monitoring and specified treatment guidelines during immediate transition and resuscitation we would increase survival without cerebral injury in preterm neonates.

The primary objective is to compare the rate of acquired tolerance of the three different IgE-mediated CMPA treatment strategies. The primary outcome is to determine the tolerance acquisition to cow’s milk proteins, which will be defined as the intake of 200ml of cow’s milk or the equivalent intake of 6g of milk protein daily without any symptomatology.

The secondary objectives are to conduct an anthropometric comparison of the three cohorts, to compare the difference in outcome of the three treatments in CMPA IgE-mediated in patients who have other food allergies and to conduct an analysis of immunological values between the three cohorts.

Neonatal EEG Analysis Study.  Overall the Neonalysis project aims to explore and use cutting-edge machine learning to identify patterns of brain activity in newborn infants that will help improve diagnosis of neurological disorders, guide individualised treatment strategies, and ultimately lead to better longer term outcomes.

NESTED is a project which will develop, test and train an algorithm which can detect seizures in premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It follows on from the ANSeR project, which focused on full-term babies. With NESTED, our researchers aim to develop a robust, reliable, automated seizure detection system for the detection of seizures in preterm neonates and facilitate prompt treatment.

Non-Invasive lung Oxygen Monitoring of term Infants

Infants born prematurely are very likely to require respiratory support in the neonatal unit due to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) which is caused by the lack of surfactant in the lungs.  Fast detection and diagnosis are critical in order to administer treatment and prevent potential long-term health complications.  NEOLA Lung analyzer (GPX medical, Sweden) is used to perform measurements as a part of the study called NIOMI (Non-Invasive Oxygen Measurement in Infants). To obtain the lung oxygen measurements, the system uses diffuse light from two low power, near-infrared lasers coupled into small probe and photosensor detecting the light coming back from the tissues. The purpose of this observational study is to answer several technical questions.  Results obtained from the NIOMI study will generate information to guide the development of the GASMAS-based systems for future clinical adaptation in preterm infants.

EpilepSY After NeoNAtal ElectrograPhic SEizures

Neonatal seizures (NS) are seizures that occur in the first twenty-eight days of life. They typically represent a serious underlying neurological insult. Neonates who have experienced seizures are at risk of developing later postnatal epilepsy. The true incidence of post neonatal epilepsy (PNE) following NS in term infants is not known. Previously, neonatal seizures were diagnosed clinically only whereas many seizures are electrographic only. The aim of this project is to determine the incidence of PNE following electrographic confirmed NS in an Irish cohort of infants. In this study, we will also review the characteristics of infants at risk of NS who die.

OutcomeS and ElectroencephalographY followiNg NeonAtal EncePhalopathy: an ObSErvational Study

 The primary aim of SYNAPSE II is to investigate if qualitative and quantitative features of EEG are associated with MRI brain pattern injury and neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with HIE, recruited  from two large European  multi-centre studies. EEG can play a huge role in prognostication following neonatal encephalopathy. Earlier studies have focused on the qualitative features of EEG, though the objective nature of quantitative EEG analysis offers several benefits and limits inter-human variability in EEG interpretation. EEG analysis twinned with early MRI brain imaging may better prognosticate for infants following neonatal encephalopathy and ensure more prompt and focused early intervention.