Defining the pathways of developmental brain injury, for a healthy start to life.

Injury to the developing brain, whether sustained during pregnancy or at birth, is the underlying cause of many cognitive and motor disabilities, including cerebral palsy. This project will identify the cellular pathways that cause developmental brain injury, arising from the 3 principal complications of pregnancy or birth; intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm birth with/without intrauterine infection and birth asphyxia. I will utilise this knowledge of the causal pathways leading to brain injury to implement targeted therapies to reduce injury or repair the brain. My project will progress fundamental biomedical discoveries into clinical practice to decrease the incidence and severity of newborn brain injury and cerebral palsy.