Perinatal and Paediatrics Lead
Dr. Topun Austin is an academic neonatologist leading a research team undertaking original research into brain injury in newborn infants. This research encompasses critical care, the link between brain function and behaviour as well as the relationship between the heart and brain in response to stimuli. Topun leads the Cambridge Centre of Perinatal Neuroscience including the Evelyn Perinatal Imaging Centre.
Project Lead
Dr. Richard Iles is a Paediatric Consultant and joint clinical lead for the Paediatric HTC work stream. This work stream has a number of projects, with an emphasis on non-invasive, non-contact monitoring and the interpretation of complex physiological data sets, rehabilitation, neonatal brain injury, and epilepsy. The Brain Injury HTC’s paediatric and adult workstreams have significant overlap and work in close collaboration with TITCH maximising access to national and international paediatric expertise.
In February 2015, additional funding was awarded to the Brain Injury HTC along with four other existing NIHR Healthcare Technology Cooperatives (HTCs) in order to stimulate research activity in paediatric healthcare technologies.
Supported projects
- Feasibility of identifiying modifiable risk factors for the prevention of TBI, Dr Julie Mytton, University of the West of England, Bristol
- Novel Proteomic Biomarkers of Brain injury in New-Borns, Dr. Divyen Shah, Royal London Hospital/Barts and the London School of Medicine, QMUL
- Non-invasive Non-contact Measurement of Heart Rate and Movement using Ballistocardiography (Bcg), Dr. Richard Iles, Dr. Joan Lasenby and Dr. Joachim Steiner
Technology and Innovation Transforming Child Health (TITCH)
TITCH is a national healthcare technology network that is dedicated to the development of technology solutions to help improve children’s healthcare. This is achieved by focusing on the identification of areas of unmet need where new technology could have an impact for child health. TITCH also identifies where innovative technologies can lead to best clinical practice and stimulates the adoption of these across the TITCH network.
TITCH focuses on 4 key areas:
- Evaluation – to facilitate the evaluation of a device or technology through the expert network.
- Collaboration – offers the opportunity for network collaboration in the development of newtechnologies from validation of need to active collaboration on projects.
- Early adopter – TITCH can facilitate the identification of early adopter sites that may have an interest in a specific new technology.
- Market ready – showcases devices that have gone through the process and are now commercially available.
For more information please visit http://www.titch.org.uk.