Research
Inspire the greatest minds and a brighter future
Newborn babies being cooled on low-tech mattresses
Thanks to UCL research, baby cooling is now a standard treatment in the developed world and saves one in nine babies with birth asphyxia from death or severe disability. Dr Nicola Robertson’s group are now researching which drugs can be used alongside cooling to save more babies from adverse outcomes. Her group also researches different lowtech cooling methods in India and Uganda, such as mattresses made from water bottles, to see if they are safe and effective when a reliable source of electricity for cooling is not available. If successful, these clinical guidelines will be disseminated to neonatal centres across the developing world.
4
Whatever your area of interest, a legacy gift to research at UCL is a highly efficient way to give to something you care about. UCL undertakes world class research through sophisticated research groups, international collaboration and the daily dedication of expert researchers. A gift in your will to research at UCL means every penny of your gift will go directly to the research area of your choice and make a real difference.
The World Health Organisation estimates birth asphyxia to be one of the top six causes of death in children under five. UCL has been at the forefront of perinatal brain research for over 30 years. Dr Nicola Robertson leads a world-class research group at the UCL Institute for Women’s Health who are trialling therapeutic hypothermia (‘baby cooling’) in countries with low resources, to reduce the effects of birth asphyxia.
“One or two of every 1000 babies born in the UK are starved of oxygen during birth, which can cause death or brain damage, and the rate is much higher in countries with limited resources. It is distressing to see an otherwise perfect and healthy baby suffer in the last few moments of birth. Baby cooling is a simple idea; it re-sets the brain and conserves energy, which the baby instead uses for self-survival.” Dr Nicola Robertson