Children's health research

We are research active with a number of opportunities for families to get involved.

Our vision is to deliver cutting-edge research that improves outcomes for children and families by establishing a dedicated research team.

Research allows us to generate new knowledge, improve patient care, and develop new treatments. We work with doctors, nurses, support workers and allied health professionals to ensure you can make an informed decision about your child taking part in research.

Children’s research  includes both large-scale studies conducted across multiple hospitals and smaller local studies. As a growing team, we are always looking for new research opportunities that align with and enhance our services.

How to get involved

If you or your child may be interested in taking part in research, contact the Children’s Research team.

Asking for information does not mean you or your child have to take part. Participation in research is entirely voluntary, and choosing not to take part will not affect your or your child’s care in any way.

mtw-tr.childrens-research@nhs.net

01892 638641

Neonatal research

BALLOON

The BALLOON study is investigating if Bactek, an oral spray containing harmless, inactivated bacteria, can reduce chest infections in babies born before 30 weeks of gestation. Bactek is designed to help stimulate and train the baby’s immune system during early life.

BASE

The BASE study is hoping to find out if giving sodium bicarbonate impacts the short and long-term health of babies who have a metabolic acidosis and are born more than 9 weeks early.

COMET

The COMET study is looking to see if cooling therapy can safely improve lifelong outcomes for babies born with a mild brain injury.

GenOMICC

GenOMICC is a multi-national study looking at the role DNA plays in how different people react to illness. In babies born over 8 weeks early, they want to find out if DNA impacts the chance of long-term breathing problems. 

RePHyNe

RePHyNe aims to build a registry of neonatal pulmonary hypertension to enhance understanding of the condition and improve treatments and outcomes.

RePHyNe is an opt-out study. Please visit the National Data Opt-out Service to choose how your information is used.

Previous neonatal research

neoGASTRIC

The neoGASTRIC study is comparing two ways of caring for babies who are born more than 6 weeks early and having tube feeds. 

42 babies took part in neoGASTRIC – thank you!

Outcome: awaiting findings.

FEED1

The FEED1 study aims to understand whether starting premature babies on “full milk feeds” rather than “gradual milk feeds” will lead to babies going home from hospital earlier, and what impact it has on their later development.

26 babies took part in the FEED1 study- thank you!

Outcome: Babies who received full milk feeds had the same length of stay in the neonatal unit compared with babies receiving gradual milk feeds. However, these babies did have fewer interventions and spent less time in intensive care.

SurfON

The SurfON study is looking at the best way to care for babies born 2 – 6 weeks early, who suffer with severe breathing problems.

14 babies took part in SurfON - thank you!

Outcome: There was no difference between babies who received early surfactant therapy and those who only received close monitoring in resolving breathing problems in babies born 2-6 weeks early. 

Children's health research

BACHb

BACHb is looking at the best way of providing breathing support for babies under 1 year of age admitted to hospital with moderate or severe bronchiolitis.

BEE

BEE aims to track the development of babies with epilepsy to understand features that might predict later outcomes, such as autism.

RUDY

RUDY is a study looking into rare diseases in children and adults.

OPM-MEG

OPM-MEG has developed a wearable, movable, brain-imaging system that is 10 times more sensitive than the current standard of care in diagnosing epilepsy in children.

Previous research in children's health

OASIS

The OASIS study is looking to develop a tool that can assist in interpreting EEGs (measurement of electrical activity in the brain) to aid early detection of epilepsy in children.

Outcome: Awaiting results.