Research in Neonatal Cerebral Infarction at Clínic

Research is carried out through the Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), specifically in the Foetal and Perinatal Medicine group.

Research is currently focused on diagnostic and prognostic tools for neonatal cerebral infarction, such as blood biomarkers and mapping of damaged brain areas. This makes it possible to establish the prognosis of newborns early and implement actions to reduce the impact of possible clinical sequelae.

One of the projects being carried out is focused on identifying the injured area better through advanced volumetric neuroimaging techniques with the collaboration of the Consorci Sant Boi –Sant Joan de Déu Hospital, Barcelona. Other centres such as the La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, the Hospital del Mar in Cádiz and the University Hospital in Burgos also participate. Research is also looking to find therapeutic strategies to reduce injury as soon as infarction occurs.

Attempts are also being made to find the genetic role in NCI, thanks to the recently awarded work at La Marató de TV3 on rare genetic variants associated with neonatal cerebral arterial infarction.

In 2017, the Hospital Clínic organised a Conference on Neonatal Cerebral Arterial Infarction (NCI) that brought together more than 50 paediatricians and a significant number of professors, leaders in our country in neonatal research and care.