What is the ELEVATE Programme?

ELEVATE is a five-year research programme that aims to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of early brain injury and cerebral palsy(CP) in Ireland.

CP is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is caused by abnormal development or damage to parts of the brain. The severity of CP and the extent of the symptoms depend on both the extent of the damage or abnormalities and where they occur in the brain. CP is the most common lifelong physical disability and affects 17 million people worldwide. In Ireland, approximately 150 children born every year will develop CP and around 3,000 children and young people and 9,500 adults are currently living with the condition.

ELEVATE has been funded under the Research Ireland (Formerly SFI) Strategic Partnership Programme, with co-funding partner The Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF). The programme is led by the Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research (INFANT) at UCC, partnering with RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and all the tertiary-level maternity hospitals in Ireland.

What will ELEVATE do?

ELEVATE’s mission is to revolutionise the delivery of CP care in Ireland through cutting-edge research and innovation.

Contact Us:

Email: elevate@ucc.ie 

Key Objectives:

Improve Outcomes

ELEVATE aims to lower the age of CP diagnosis, establish a national CP registry, and develop AI-driven tools for early risk detection during pregnancy and infancy. These efforts focus on improving outcomes.

Educate and Lead
Train the next generation of CP researchers, translating knowledge into clinical practice, and establish Ireland as a global leader in CP research.

The programme includes;

    • Offering expert training for experienced clinicians across multiple sites in specialised assessments and interventions.
    • Training clinical teams and scientific PhD candidates to advance detection and intervention strategies.
    • Providing undergraduate students with work placements alongside the research team to explore novel approaches.

Harness Artificial Intelligence for Risk Prediction

ELEVATE will use Artificial Intelligence(AI) and detailed maternity and neonatal electronic records to identify factors during pregnancy, labour and the early neonatal period that predicts elevated risk of CP.

Innovative Tools

Develop innovative tools and technologies to detect motor, cognitive and executive function challenges in infants with CP, enabling timely and targeted interventions.

International Collaboration and Innovation

Participate in global studies, create a national intervention and innovation platform for CP research, ensuring children with CP in Ireland benefit from the latest evidence-based advancements.

Ireland’s First National CP Register

Establish Ireland’s first National CP register to facilitate ongoing research and provide invaluable information for individuals and families affected by CP. Establishing a comprehensive CP registry, will help to share knowledge and resources, ultimately leading to better care practices, innovative therapies, and support systems for those affected by CP.

More information HERE

Engage and Empower

Actively involve people with CP, their families/carers and the broader public in the design and delivery of the research, fostering a collaborative approach to progress.

ELEVATE is more than a research programme; it’s a platform for innovation, collaboration, and empowerment, ensuring people with CP and their families are at the heart of it all.

Why is it important?

CP has been historically overlooked and underfunded, with delayed diagnoses having a hugely negative impact on those living with CP. ELEVATE will address critical gaps in the early diagnosis and treatment of CP. Reducing the time to diagnosis will ensure earliest possible intervention. ELEVATE will identify and improve care pathways, and by leveraging advanced technologies, the programme can improve the quality of life for children affected by CP. Additionally, ELEVATE’s efforts to create a National CP registry will assist in ensuring information and resources are shared with those who will benefit most. Fostering collaboration in research will lead to better long-term outcomes individuals with CP and their families.

ELEVATE Research Studies:

AIM-HIGH

Assessing Intellectual and Motor outcomes in High Risk infants

COOLPrime

Comparative Effectiveness for Cooling Prospectively Infants with Mild Encephalopathy

Apples-tele

Telemedicine in Early Childhood Constraint Therapy in Cerebral Palsy

SmallKicks

Randomised Controlled Trial Telehealth Lower Limb (leg and foot) Intervention

Who is Involved:

ELEVATE Partners:

ELEVATE is led by the INFANT Research Centre at University College Cork (UCC) and partnered with RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences / RCSI CP-Life Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin and four tertiary-level maternity hospitals in Ireland.

Funders:

ELEVATE is co-funded by Research Ireland and The Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF) under the SFI Strategic Partnership Programme.

About Research Ireland:

Research Ireland is a competitive research and innovation funding agency in Ireland.

About The Cerebral Palsy Foundation:

The Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF) is a global organisation that transforms lives through research, innovation, and collaboration. CPF’s vision is to ensure that people with cerebral palsy have the same rights, access, and opportunities as anyone else. CPF is committed to providing the best in clinical care and research across the lifespan for infants, children, adolescents, and adults with Cerebral Palsy.

More information about CP in Ireland: https://in4kids.ie/cerebralpalsyinireland/

PPI/EPE – Get Involved:

Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) is at the very heart of everything we do. We believe the voices of parents/carers, young people and their families are crucial in shaping research and clinical trials and making it truly meaningful.

The purpose of the PAG is to provide a voice to parents based on the current knowledge and experience they have gained as carers and service users. Parents can provide a valuable contribution to the quality and relevance of research making sure their lived experiences and opinions are included in specific relatable areas.

Parental input is not limited to what research is being carried out but provides advice on every aspect of the research process from first thoughts to study design, shaping participant information and consent documentation to the final dissemination of results and beyond. Parental/carers input into events that engage and educate the public about CP is also key.

To find out more about the PAG, email: elevate@ucc.e

A YPAG is being established to provide a platform for children and young people to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about healthcare services and clinical research and trials that directly impact them. The voices of the young people will guide us in creating better experiences and outcomes for young patients.

Both the PAG and the YPAG will also play a huge role in guiding the Education and Public Engagement (EPE) programme within ELEVATE. Our EPE programme aims to bring knowledge of CP Research to the public and stimulate interest in researchers of the future. We want our activities to be engaging, inclusive and fun.

To get involved or find out more about the YPAG just click here!

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