About GEMINI
GEnder and inflaMmatIon In neonatal encephalopathy.
Perinatal brain damage, cerebral palsy, congenital deformities, stillbirth, meningitis, altered inflammation and neonatal sepsis are more common in boys. Gender dimorphism as regards outcome, mortality and neuroimaging will be examined in a large retrospective cohort.
Although inflammation has beneficial effects in recovery after brain injury, there are also detrimental effects when it is dysregulated and selective inhibition of some harmful effects of inflammation would be useful.
GEMINI is funded by the NCRC and its primary research aims are as follows:
Aim 1: Gender, Clinical and Immunological outcomes in NE
Objectives: to examine clinical outcomes such as patterns of MRI injury, Bayleys developmental scales of infant’s development (BSID III) scoring and survival and stratify by gender.
Aim 2: Inflammasome response by gender in NE
Objectives: To evaluate inflammasome components & TLR signalling intermediates and correlate with gender in NE.
Aim 3: Immunometabolism in NE and the role of gender
Objectives: To explore metabolic function in immune cells from infants with NE and evaluate the gender differences and the potential of immunomodulation.