The Developing Brain

怀孕的后半段是大脑发育旺盛的时期。我们正在探索大脑结构是如何发展的，以及它的功能是如何成熟的。我们试图通过使用先进的成像技术直接观察子宫内的胎儿来研究正常和异常的大脑发育。我们的研究跨越了出生过程，使我们能够探索早产和在适当年龄出生时缺氧引起的脑损伤的影响。我们的研究旨在创造新的成像技术和分析方法来研究发育中的大脑;了解正常和异常的大脑发育;并为因缺氧或早产而遭受脑损伤的新生儿开发和测试新的脑拯救治疗方法。通过将成像与遗传分析和临床随访相结合，我们试图了解大脑以及它在生命早期的关键阶段是如何发展的。我们的研究成果包括新的成像和分析方法，我们应用于研究发育中的大脑，但可能在其他应用中也很有用，关于大脑发育的基本见解，表征和管理大脑问题的临床工具，以及改善结果的新疗法。

The second half of pregnancy is a time of exuberant brain growth. We are exploring how brain structure develops and how its functional capabilities mature. We seek to study both normal and abnormal brain development by directly observing the fetus in the womb using advanced imaging techniques. Our studies straddle the birth process, enabling us to explore effects of premature birth and of brain damage caused by shortage of oxygen during birth at the right age. Our research aims to create novel imaging techniques and analysis methods to study the developing brain; to learn about both normal and abnormal brain development; and to develop and test novel cerebral rescue treatments for neonates that suffer brain damage from lack of oxygen or premature birth.By combining imaging with genetic analysis and clinical follow-up we seek to learn about the brain and how it develops in this critical early period of life. The outcomes of our research include new imaging and analysis methods that we apply to study the developing brain but may prove useful in other applications as well, basic insights concerning brain development, clinical tools for characterizing and managing brain problems, and novel therapies for improving outcome.