INFANT Centre News
From two years to seven months: How Irish research is changing cerebral palsy diagnosis
New research led by INFANT Research Centre shows how changes to neonatal follow-up care are helping children at increased risk of cerebral palsy receive a diagnosis much earlier.
New GP pathway aims to help babies with early signs of cerebral palsy access care sooner
Research into early identification and intervention is helping create a faster route to specialist assessment and support for babies showing early developmental concerns.
INFANT researcher shares PremSmart success at international health innovation event in Brussels
Research improving nutritional care for premature babies across Ireland featured in international discussions on scaling healthcare innovation to improve maternal and child health worldwide.
Pregnancy loss is common. Workplace support should be too.
One year after the launch of the Pregnancy Loss & the Workplace Toolkit, employers are putting the research into practice. This Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October), we are encouraging more organisations to do the same.
Ask an Expert – SLEEP
In the first of our new Ask an Expert series, INFANT researchers answer your questions about infant sleep using the latest research and evidence.
Early intervention in action: Aidan’s story and the research shaping cerebral palsy care
When Aidan was born in August 2025, his parents Niamh and John faced enormous uncertainty about what the future might hold.
New Kildare clinic expands specialist follow-up for babies in AIM-HIGH Study
A new research clinic in Kildare is expanding access to specialist developmental follow-up for babies participating in the AIM-HIGH Study, led by INFANT Research Centre at University College Cork.
Professor Eugene Dempsey appointed Head of School of Medicine at UCC
Professor Eugene Dempsey, Principal Investigator at INFANT Research Centre and Consultant Neonatologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital, has been appointed Head of the School of Medicine at University College Cork.
Can diet and nutrition influence mental health? New European project aims to find out
Researchers at the INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork (UCC) have joined a new Horizon Europe-funded research project that will investigate how diet and nutrition are associated with mental health across the life course.
Inside a Kilimanjaro Antenatal Clinic: Can Better Data Improve Maternal and Newborn Health?
Last month, LINDA-FAMILIA project researchers gathered at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to work together on a key project task: evaluation of the newly implemented digital health systems in each of the four project countries.
New research programme exploring probiotics and the developing infant microbiome
Researchers at University College Cork’s APC Microbiome Ireland and INFANT Research Centre, together with Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) and Teagasc, have begun a new research programme exploring how probiotics may influence the developing gut microbiome during the early years of life.
Designing a digital health system
When a digital health information system is complex for the people who rely on it, such as frontline health workers, the consequences reach far beyond a slow screen.
From Cork to Kilimanjaro: a decade of partnership in maternal and newborn health
In 2016, researchers and clinicians from the INFANT Research Centre at UCC travelled to Tanzania to explore collaboration in maternal and child health. Over the course of the visit, the team engaged with a number of potential partner sites, with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) and the Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute (KCRI) emerging as the best mutual fit for ongoing collaboration.
Pregnancy complications can affect mental health long after birth
New research from INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, highlights the long-term psychological impact of pregnancy and birth complications, calling for more compassionate, woman-centred maternity care.
Better conversations could strengthen stillbirth-prevention efforts
A University College Cork study led by researchers from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at INFANT Research Centre and the School of Public Health, highlights missed opportunities to reduce stillbirth risk in Ireland.
Giving premature babies a stronger start: how PremSmart transformed neonatal nutrition in Ireland
For babies born too soon, the first days of life are critical. During this period, nutrition plays a critical role in brain development, growth and long-term health.
Advancing maternal and child health through better data
Advancing maternal and child health through better data Reliable, high-quality health data is essential for improving care for mothers, babies and children. But when health information is collected differently across countries or systems cannot communicate with one another, it becomes harder to monitor outcomes, inform clinical decisions and generate the evidence needed to strengthen healthcare. As part of the Horizon Europe-funded LINDA-FAMILIA project, researchers and health system partners from Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania recently came together in Addis Ababa to advance a shared approach to data harmonisation and interoperability across maternal, newborn and child health systems. Professor Ali Khashan from INFANT Research Centre at University College Cork provided technical leadership during the workshop, leading sessions focused on improving the comparability of maternal health data across participating countries. Working with project partners, participants reviewed existing data collection systems, identified common data elements, explored opportunities for federated research, and developed a regional roadmap for harmonising health data in line with World Health Organization recommendations. Alongside this work, technical sessions explored how Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems can better integrate with District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2), helping countries strengthen digital health infrastructure, improve reporting and support more informed clinical and policy decision-making. This workshop marks another important milestone for the LINDA-FAMILIA project as partners work together to build interoperable digital health systems that improve maternal, newborn [...]
Preparing for the next pandemic: Lessons from COVID-19, pregnancy and the power of better data
While COVID-19 may no longer dominate headlines, the lessons learned during the pandemic continue to shape how healthcare systems prepare for future public health emergencies. This is particularly true when it comes to protecting pregnant women and their babies.
From Evidence to Impact: Dr Chrsitine Cassidy Opens UCC Futures Children Seminar Series
The inaugural UCC Futures Children seminar of the year brought together researchers, clinicians, academic and professional staff, and others interested in improving outcomes for children and families. Opening the event, Professor Geraldine Boylan, Director of UCC Futures Children and INFANT Research Centre, highlighted the importance of creating stronger connections across disciplines at University College Cork (UCC), recognising that children’s outcomes are shaped not only by healthcare, but by education, family supports, environment and wider social systems. Reflecting on the importance of implementation and impact, Professor Boylan noted: “If we can’t implement research into practice, policy, systems or technology, what was the point of doing it in the first place?” The keynote lecture was delivered by Dr Christine Cassidy, Associate Professor at Dalhousie University and Clinician Scientist specialising in child health at IWK Health. Introduced by Dr Rachel Flynn, School of Nursing, UCC, Dr Cassidy explored why implementation science and knowledge translation are essential to ensuring research delivers real-world change. A central theme of the talk was the persistent gap between research and practice. Cassidy highlighted that despite the volume of healthcare research produced globally, evidence does not always translate into practice or policy, while some care delivered may still be low-value or even harmful. Dr Cassidy emphasised that implementation should not be considered an afterthought once research is complete. “We need to design research with [...]
Building stronger evidence for better maternal and child health in East Africa
Building stronger evidence for better maternal and child health in East Africa By Jimmy Patrick, Alunyo PhD fellow, Uganda Every day across East Africa, thousands of pregnant women miss antenatal care appointments not because they do not care, but due to barriers such as distance, cost, competing responsibilities, or simply forgetting. When these visits are missed, early warning signs such as infections, high blood pressure, or pregnancy complications go unnoticed, putting both mothers and babies at risk. Improving maternal and child health depends on stronger health systems. It requires stronger evidence to guide care, policy, and innovation. That is why the LINDA-FAMILIA Project brought together nine PhD students and one postdoctoral researcher in Kigali, Rwanda for a four-day intensive training on systematic review and meta-analysis. The training, held from 20-24 April 2026, focused on helping students build and bring together evidence across different areas of the project, particularly within Work Package 3 (Intervention Evaluation) and Work Package 4 (Clinical Research). Throughout the week, participants developed practical skills in writing research protocols, searching scientific literature, extracting and reviewing data, and analysing results using Review Manager (RevMan). The workshop also extended beyond the classroom. Through visits to Rwanda’s National Health Intelligence Center, students saw how health data is used in real healthcare settings to support decision-making. For many, the training shifted how they think about research. [...]
The gender gap in autism: why we need to do better for girls
The gender gap in autism: why we need to do better for girls Autism diagnosis can be a long and complex process. For some children, assessment takes years. Girls in particular are often identified much later than boys, sometimes not until adolescence meaning they can miss years of support when it matters most. At the INFANT Research Centre in University College Cork, Dr Jane English is investigating whether biological signals present at birth could help change that timeline. Her research focuses on identifying early-life biomarkers that may one day support earlier identification of autism, particularly those who could benefit from additional monitoring and support. The aim is not to diagnose autism at birth, but to build the scientific foundation for earlier screening. If successful, this work could help reduce delays in identification and ensure more children, especially girls, receive support earlier in life. “The overarching goal is to facilitate early intervention in children with autism.” English explains. “At the moment, diagnosis is complex, and quite often children are not diagnosed until the ages of four or five, and in some cases, much later”. A system under pressure In Ireland, autism diagnosis typically involves a multidisciplinary team assessment. While comprehensive, the system is under significant strain. “There are thousands of families on waiting lists for a first-time autism assessment, with waiting times exceeding two years,” [...]
Supporting parents through pregnancy loss with compassion and consistency
Supporting parents through pregnancy loss with compassion and consistency Pregnancy loss and perinatal death are among the most devastating experiences a family can face. At such a time, parents need not only empathy
Biomarkers to enable early treatment of newborn brain injury
Biomarkers to enable early treatment of newborn brain injury Lack of oxygen to the brain at birth affects almost 200 babies in Ireland each year and more than two million infants globally. This condition, known as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy
Predicting pre-eclampsia before it becomes dangerous
Predicting pre-eclampsia before it becomes dangerous For many women, pre-eclampsia arrives without warning. What begins as a healthy pregnancy can suddenly become life-threatening, with serious consequences for both mother and baby
From research to real-time care: the ANSeR study
From research to real-time care: the ANSeR study Babies admitted to neonatal intensive care due to complications during pregnancy are at high risk of brain injury and seizures, which can have lifelong consequences if not detected and treated early