neonatal research

summary

The Neonatal Research group was formed by members of the Royal Children's Hospitals (RCH) Neonatal Unit and the Royal Women's Hospital Neonatal Unit. This team of experienced neonatologists, nurses and scientists conducts clinical and translational research into some of the major problems of ill newborn infants, in particular advanced respiratory treatments, resuscitation, hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and congenital problems requiring surgery early in life.

group leader(s)

  Dr Rod Hunt
  Neonatal Research
  Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
  Royal Children's Hospital
  Flemington Rd
  Parkville Victoria 3052

  T   +61 3 9345 4023
  E   rod.hunt@rch.org.au

  group leader biography

     Dr David Tingay
     Neonatal Research
     Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
     Flemington Rd
     Parkville Victoria 3052

     T   +61 3 9345 4023
     E   david.tingay@rch.org.au

       group leader biography

current research projects

Project 1: NEST Study

Project 2: Surgical Study

Project 3: Optimising lung protective ventilation.

This group is one of the leading international groups researching mechanical ventilation of the newborn, particularly high-frequency ventilation. They are recognised as world leaders in the field of physiological techniques for measuring and imaging regional lung function at the bedside, and thus, provide feedback to clinicians treating sick infants. This work has shown how important it is to carefully expand the sick infants lungs to a maximum level and then reduce the pressure to the lowest that will maintain optimal ventilation.

Project 4: Improving the resuscitation of sick newborn infants at birth.

A healthy start to life involves the successful transition from in-utero to ex-utero life. For some newborn infants this does not occur and they require resuscitation at birth. Members of our group have been undertaking a series of translational and clinical trials examining methods of improving newborn resuscitation. This work, funded by a NHMRC project grant in collaboration with Monash University and the Royal Women's Hospital, has improved the way neonatologists resuscitate sick newborn infants. 

team members

• Don Black - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
• Jo Brooks - Researcher-Nursing
• Beverley Copnell - RESEARCH AFFILIATE
• Peter Dargaville - HONORARY FELLOW
• Peter Davis - HONORARY FELLOW MANAGER
• Jennifer Dawson - Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Emma Dickey - PhD Student (UoM VetSci)
• Samantha Francis-Pester - Study Coordinator
• Julia Gunn - Research Officer
• Denise Harrison - Honorary Research Fellow
• Alisa Hawley - Research Assistant
• Susan Jacobs - HONORARY FELLOW
• Linda Johnston - HONORARY FELLOW
• Omar Kamlin - HONORARY FELLOW

• Stephen Mckeever - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
• John Mills - HONORARY FELLOW
• Colin Morley - ESTEEMED HONORARY FELLOW
• Miria Natile - Visiting Academic
• Louise Owen - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
• Liz Perkins - RESEARCH NURSE
• Anushi Rajapaksa - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
• Georg Schmoelzer - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
• Suzanne Snookes - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
• Niki Stratis - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
• Hoang Thi Tran - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
• Kevin Wheeler - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
• Elroy Zonneveld - RESEARCH ASSISTANT

publications

• Armstrong RK., Carlisle HR., Davis PG., Schibler A., Tingay DG. Distribution of tidal ventilation during volume-targeted ventilation is variable and influenced by age in the preterm lung. INTENSIVE CARE MEDICINE 37 (5) : 839 - 846(2011) PubMed
• Bhatia R., Schmölzer GM., Davis PG., Tingay DG. Electrical impedance tomography can rapidly detect small pneumothoraces in surfactant-depleted piglets. INTENSIVE CARE MEDICINE (2011) PubMed
• Dawson JA., Gerber A., Kamlin CO., Davis PG., Morley CJ. Providing PEEP during neonatal resuscitation: Which device is best?. JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH 47 (10) : 698 - 703(2011) PubMed
• Dawson JA., Schmolzer GM., Kamlin COF., Pas ABT., O'Donnell CPF., Donath SM., Davis PG., Morley CJ. Oxygenation with T-Piece versus Self-Inflating Bag for Ventilation of Extremely Preterm Infants at Birth: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS 158 (6) : 912 (2011) PubMed
• Dawson JA., Vento M., Finer NN., Rich W., Saugstad OD., Morley CJ., Davis PG. Managing oxygen therapy during delivery room stabilization of preterm infants. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS (2011) PubMed
• Dickey EJ., Long SN., Hunt RW. Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy-What Can We Learn from Humans?. JOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE 25 (6) : 1231 - 1240(2011)
• Doyle LW., Davis PG., Schmidt B., Anderson PJ. Cognitive outcome at 24months is more predictive than at 18months for IQ at 8-9years in extremely low birth weight children. EARLY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (2011) PubMed
• Fang AY., Tingay DG. Early observations in the use of oral rotavirus vaccination in infants with functional short gut syndrome. JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH (2011) PubMed
• Gunn JK., Beca J., Penny DJ., Horton SB., d'Udekem YA., Brizard GP., Finucane K., Olischar M., Hunt RW., Shekerdemian LS. Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography and brain injury in inants undergoing Norwood-type operations. ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY (2011) PubMed
• Harrison D., Yamada J., Adams-Webber T., Ohlsson A., Beyene J., Stevens B. Sweet tasting solutions for reduction of needle-related procedural pain in children aged one to 16 years. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (10) (2011) PubMed
• Howard K., Roberts G., Lim J., Lee KJ., Barre N., Treyvaud K., Cheong J., Hunt RW., Inder TE., Doyle LW., Anderson PJ. Biological and Environmental Factors as Predictors of Language Skills in Very Preterm Children at 5 Years of Age. JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS 32 (3) : 239 - 249(2011) PubMed
• Klingenberg C., Dawson JA., Gerber A., Kamlin COF., Davis PG., Morley CJ. Sustained Inflations: Comparing Three Neonatal Resuscitation Devices. NEONATOLOGY 100 (1) : 78 - 84(2011) PubMed
• Klingenberg C., Wheeler KI., Davis PG., Morley CJ. A practical guide to neonatal volume guarantee ventilation. Journal of Perinatology 31 (9) : 575 - 585(2011) PubMed
• Klingenberg C., Wheeler KI., Owen LS., Kaaresen PI., Davis PG. An international survey of volume-targeted neonatal ventilation. ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD-FETAL AND NEONATAL EDITION 96 (2) (2011) PubMed
• Manley BJ., Makrides M., Collins CT., McPhee AJ., Gibson RA., Ryan P., Sullivan TR., Davis PG., DINO Steering Committee. High-Dose Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation of Preterm Infants: Respiratory and Allergy Outcomes. PEDIATRICS 128 (1) (2011) PubMed
• Manley BJ., Owen L., Doyle LW., Davis PG. High-flow nasal cannulae and nasal continuous positive airway pressure use in non-tertiary special care nurseries in Australia and New Zealand. JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH (2011) PubMed
• Mawson IE., Dawson JA., Donath SM., Davis PG. A comparison of oxygen saturation measurements obtained from a 'blue sensor' with a standard sensor. JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH 47 (10) : 693 - 697(2011) PubMed
• Olischar M., Shoemark H., Holton T., Weninger M., Hunt RW. The influence of music on aEEG activity in neurologically healthy newborns >= 32 weeks' gestational age. ACTA PAEDIATRICA 100 (5) : 670 - 675(2011) PubMed
• Owen LS., Morley CJ., Dawson JA., Davis PG. Effects of non-synchronised nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation on spontaneous breathing in preterm infants. ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD-FETAL AND NEONATAL EDITION 96 (6) (2011) PubMed
• Poulton DA., Schmolzer GM., Morley CJ., Davis PG. Assessment of chest rise during mask ventilation of preterm infants in the delivery room. Resuscitation 82 (2) : 175 - 179(2011) PubMed
• Roeggen I., Storm H., Harrison D. Skin conductance variability between and within hospitalised infants at rest. EARLY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 87 (1) : 37 - 42(2011) PubMed
• Schilleman K., Schmolzer GM., Kamlin OCOF., Morley CJ., te Pas AB., Davis PG. Changing gas flow during neonatal resuscitation: a manikin study. Resuscitation 82 (7) : 920 - 924(2011) PubMed
• Schmolzer GM., Dawson JA., Kamlin COF., O'Donnell CPF., Morley CJ., Davis PG. Airway obstruction and gas leak during mask ventilation of preterm infants in the delivery room. ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD-FETAL AND NEONATAL EDITION 96 (4) (2011) PubMed
• Schmolzer GM., Poulton DA., Dawson JA., Kamlin COF., Morley CJ., Davis PG. Assessment of flow waves and colorimetic CO2 detector for endotracheal tube placement during neonatal resuscitation. Resuscitation 82 (3) : 307 - 312(2011) PubMed
• Spittle AJ., Cheong J., Doyle LW., Roberts G., Lee KJ., Lim J., Hunt RW., Inder TE., Anderson PJ. Neonatal white matter abnormality predicts childhood motor impairment in very preterm children. DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY 53 (11) : 1000 - 1006(2011) PubMed
• Tich SNT., Anderson PJ., Hunt RW., Lee KJ., Doyle LW., Inder TE. Neurodevelopmental and Perinatal Correlates of Simple Brain Metrics in Very Preterm Infants. ARCHIVES OF PEDIATRICS & ADOLESCENT MEDICINE 165 (3) : 216 - 222(2011) PubMed
• Wheeler KI., Klingenberg C., Morley CJ., Davis PG. Volume-Targeted versus Pressure-Limited Ventilation for Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. NEONATOLOGY 100 (3) : 219 - 227(2011) PubMed
• Wheeler KI., Moore GP., Morley CJ., Davis PG. Comparison of two ventilator circuits for Drager Babylog high-frequency ventilation. JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH 47 (4) : 211 - 216(2011) PubMed
• Wheeler KI., Schmolzer GM., Morley CJ., Davis PG. High-frequency ventilation with the Drager Babylog 8000plus: measuring the delivered frequency. ACTA PAEDIATRICA 100 (1) : 67 - 70(2011) PubMed

competitive funding

NHMRC

collaborations & affiliations

Neonatal Research, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne
MRI, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
VIBES, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
School of Women's and Infants' Health, University of Western Australia, Perth
Biomedical Engineering and Nanotechnology, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
The Ritchie Centre, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, Victoria