ProBND - Predicting and preventing brain damage in newborns
During birth, most newborns are exposed to a period of shortage of oxygen. Most newborns seem to be well adapted to this shortage, but for some, severe asphyxia appears to disrupt normal brain development. The project aims to identify markers of vulnerability for brain damage that may be used to improve clinical management.
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ProBND (Protecting Brains of Newborns from Damage)
The researchers will use family linked data from Norwegian health registries to identify vulnerability among newborns. Vulnerability may be linked to both genetic and environmental factors. One hypothesis is that a certain level of asphyxia represents a higher risk for some newborns. By using nuclear family data from the MoBa, the project will investigate markers that may play a role in resilience against asphyxia. Measurements of epigenetic markers in DNA from umbilical cord blood will be used in attempts to identify pathways that may explain vulnerability in some newborns. Markers of vulnerability may eventually be used to prevent some newborns from undergoing potentially difficult deliveries.
Trond Mohn Research Foundation (TMF) is the main sponsor of the project. The research involves strong collaboration between TRACE and CeFH at the Norwegian institute of Public Health. The project leader group consists of Professor Rolv Terje Lie, Professor Dag Moster and Associate Professor Astanand Jugessur.
Members of the consortium:
• Håkon K. Gjessing
• Jan Haavik
• Tine Brink Henriksen (Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University)
• Siri E. Håberg
• Jörg Kessler
