Transforming Clinical Brain Imaging to Protect the Neonatal Brain

1)对研究背景的简要描述，包括潜在的影响生命的头两年对人类正常运动和认知功能的神经连接和功能的发展至关重要。围产期对发育中的大脑的损伤通常被称为出生窒息，仍然是神经发育障碍的一个重要原因。我们需要客观的、非侵入性的、医院和门诊友好的、易于操作的脑成像工具来早期发现新生儿脑损伤；支持婴幼儿的神经行为干预，最终导致最好的大脑发育。为了满足这一需求，本博士学位将建立在脑成像和计算技术的技术进步的基础上；其中包括：(I)可以量化代谢生物产物的磁共振波谱(MRS)；(2)光学成像，具有宽带近红外光谱(或bNIRS)和漫相关光谱(或DCS)；一种非侵入性脑成像仪器，可绘制出生以来皮质氧合、血流动力学、血流和代谢变化的地图；和(Iii)用于新生儿脑损伤分类和预测的机器学习方法。该项目的目标是创新神经成像，并重新定义在有神经发育障碍风险的婴儿的发育大脑中可以研究什么。2)目标和目标-优化一个多模式神经成像平台，用于从新生儿重症监护病房到门诊诊所的神经功能评估。-翻译并使用该平台绘制从出生到5岁的婴儿的局部皮质反应，-实施计算机技术，例如用于特征提取的机器学习方法和用于对大脑功能活动(氧合/流动和新陈代谢)和神经发育结果进行分类的图像分析，以达到大脑健康的生物标记物。3)研究方法的新颖性该项目使用成像方式(bNIRS、DCS和MRS)与机器学习方法的新组合，以促进在患有脑损伤的新生儿的大脑中可以从实时大脑健康和神经发育结果方面进行的研究。成像平台将在更长的时间范围内提供对血流、饱和度和新陈代谢的监测，并将使用可以带到新生儿床边的便携式设备，而不需要患者移动(例如，用于核磁共振)。4)与EPSRC的战略和研究领域保持一致本项目符合EPSRC的研究主题，并属于该研究主题的医疗保健技术和医学成像5)任何参与N/A的公司或合作者

1) Brief description of the context of the research including potential impactThe first 2 years of life are critical for the development of the neural connections and functions responsible for normal motor and cognitive functioning in humans. Perinatal injury to the developing brain often refers to as birth asphyxia, continues to remain a significant cause of neurodevelopmental disability.We need objective, non-invasive, hospital and outpatient clinic friendly, easy to operate brain imaging tools to inform early detection of newborn brain injury; to support neurobehavioural interventions in young infants and toddlers, ultimately leading to the best possible brain development.To answer this need, this PhD will build upon technological advancements in brain imaging and computational techniques; these include (i) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (or MRS) that can quantify bioproducts of metabolism; (ii) optical imaging, with broadband near-infrared spectroscopy (or bNIRS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (or DCS); a non-invasive brain imaging instrument that can map cortical oxygenation, haemodynamics, blood flow and metabolic changes from birth; and (iii) machine learning approaches for classification and prediction of newborn brain injury.The ambition of this project is to innovate neuroimaging and redefine what can be investigated in the developing brain of infants at risk of neurodevelopmental disability.2) Aims and Objectives- Optimise a multimodal neuroimaging platform for neuronal functional assessment from the neonatal intensive care unit to the outpatient clinic.- Translate and enable the use of this platform to map localized cortical responses, in infants from birth up to 5 years old, correlating with a range of abnormalities including seizures and cerebral palsy.- Implement computational techniques such as machine learning methods for feature extractions and image analytics for classification of brain functional activity (oxygenation/flow and metabolism) and neurodevelopmental outcomes, towards biomarkers of brain health.3) Novelty of Research MethodologyThe project uses a novel combination of imaging modalities (bNIRS, DCS and MRS) combined with machine learning approaches to advance what can be investigated in the brains of neonates with brain injury in terms of real-time brain health as well as neurodevelopmental outcomes. The imaging platform will provide monitoring of blood flow, saturation and metabolism over extended time scales and will use portable equipment that can be brought to the neonatal's bedside rather than requiring moving of the patient (e.g. for an MRI).4) Alignment to EPSRC's strategies and research areasThis project aligns with and falls under the EPSRC's research themes of "Healthcare technologies" and "Medical imaging"5) Any companies or collaborators involvedN/A