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The University of Southampton
Clinical Neonatal and Developmental Neurosciences Group

Placement Opportunities

We have an established placement arrangement with the University of Bath. Here is a list of our current placement opportunities.

1. Placement with Dr Brigitte Vollmer and Dr Hazel Evans

Areas of Research

Neonatal and Paediatric Neuroscience (Dr Brigitte Vollmer)
Paediatric Respiratory Medicine (Dr Hazel Evans)

Project

Preterm birth and neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term born infants are common and both carry a high risk for brain injury and neurodevelopmental impairment. The Paediatric Neuroscience group (Dr Vollmer) and the Paediatric Respiratory team (Dr Hazel Evans) are particularly interested in aspects of brain perfusion and brain development in these infants.

The project will be (1) within an overarching study where, children with neonatal HIE, now aged 6-8 years, undergo advanced neuroimaging (MRI) to examine associations between anatomical and functional brain networks changes after HIE and how this relates to cognitive outcomes; (2) within an ongoing study that aims to collect normative data of brain perfusion in preterm and term born children, using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS).

What will you gain from this placement?

During this placement, you will have the opportunity to gain experience in both using advanced MRI to examine anatomical brain development, and using NIRS to measure brain perfusion in preterm children and term born children. You will participate in data collection, data processing, and data analysis of advanced neuroimaging data in children aged 6-8 years, and NIRS data in newborns. You will gain experience in data management, data interpretation, and presentation skills. Since we are a multi- and interdisciplinary team, you will gain experience in working in a team setting where researchers from different specialities are working together to address important research question on neurodevelopmental outcomes and brain development in infants and children born at risk.

Please feel free to contact Dr Brigitte Vollmer (B.Vollmer@soton.ac.uk).

2. Placement with Dr Brigitte Vollmer and Professor Delphine Boche

Areas of Research

Neonatal and Paediatric Neuroscience (Dr Brigitte Vollmer)
Neuroimmunopathology (Professor Delphine Boche)

Project

Neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common neurological disorder of the newborn and carries a high risk for brain injury and neurodevelopmental impairment. The Paediatric Neuroscience group has followed up newborns with this condition from birth to school age to characterise and identify early predictors of neurological and cognitive outcome.

The project will be within an overarching study where, at age 6-8 years, children are assessed for cognitive and behavioural function and will undergo advanced neuroimaging (MRI) to examine associations between anatomical and functional brain networks changes after HIE and how this relates to outcomes. The Neuroimmunopathology group uses brain tissue of newborns who died with HIE to investigate neuroinflammation in this condition.

What will you gain from this placement?

During this placement, you will have the opportunity to gain experience in both lab based work and observational experimental research in HIE. You will participate in data collection of cognitive, behavioural, and possibly neuroimaging data in children aged 6-8 years, you will gain experience in data management, data interpretation, presentation skills, and you will be participating in lab based work (neuro-histology). Since we are a multi- and interdisciplinary team, you will gain experience in working in a team setting where researchers from different specialities are working together to address important research question on neurodevelopmental outcomes and brain development after neonatal HIE.

Please feel free to contact Dr Brigitte Vollmer (B.Vollmer@soton.ac.uk).

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