Welcome Leap In Utero grant to reduce risk of stillbirth
Maternal venous return from the placenta and the effect of placental and uterine contractions as potential markers of stillbirth risk
Every 16 seconds one baby is stillborn, this amounts to more than two million stillborn babies globally every year. We have been awarded one of 13 projects funded worldwide through the $50m
Wellcome Leap In Utero programme which aims to measure, model and predict gestational development using the latest methods and techniques. As part of this programme, Nottingham will be undertaking a 4 year research project that aims to cut the number of stillbirths by examining blood flow through the placenta.
Our Research
One third of stillbirths are related to problems with the placenta. In the past there has been lots of work studying the blood flow into the placenta from the mother with little consideration given to the importance of how blood moves back out of the placenta, despite this being critical for the circulation and uniform flow of maternal blood around the placental villous trees which contain the baby’s blood; exchange of oxygen and nutrients from mother to baby occur here. We are focusing on this venous return, particularly the effects of the newly discovered placental contractions which periodically refresh the blood within the placenta. Problems here will affect baby’s well-being.
Using wide-bore magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) this study will examine flow out of the placenta, particularly focusing on the relevance of recently discovered placental contractions to venous return. It will also develop a new device to study the placental contractions at home, biological studies of the placenta after delivery and mathematical modelling of the flow through the placenta and use these measures predict the outcome of the pregnancy.
Stillbirth is devastating for families. We hope that we can contribute safe tests to identify pregnancies at risk and allow close surveillance and timely delivery for both clinicians and families.
This project is highly multidispclinary. Here early career researchers from maths (Zach and Adam) and physics (George and Amy) are visiting Lopa Leach’s lab to observe a real placenta to compare to their simulations and MRI scans of placentas.
Our Team
The multidisciplinary research team involves obstetricians, biologists, physicists, engineers, computer scientists and mathematicians from both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University.
I am a physicist who develops and uses MRI to investigate dynamic physiology in humans. I am delighted that we have been selected to be part of the Wellcome Leap In Utero programme to work as part of a global effort aimed at reducing the risk of stillbirth. I have always been fascinated by the placenta and I am so excited that we will be using MRI to help to address this very important problem for families.
Nia Jones (Co-PI)
Nia.Jones@nottingham.ac.uk
Stillbirth is a devastating outcome for families and if there are safe tests that we can develop to identify pregnancies at risk and allow close surveillance and timely delivery this would be very welcome progress in care for both clinicians and families.
lopa.leach@nottingham.ac.uk
@lopaleach
I am delighted that we can look at the venous return of maternal blood from the placental lakes where chorionic villi lie, how impairment in this, the overlooked part of the circulation, may result in altered transport of oxygen to the baby, with devastating results. A hugely important jigsaw piece to my placental work. Thank you Wellcome Leap!
xin.chen@nottingham.ac.uk
@XinChenUoN
I am a machine learning scientist working in the areas of medical image analysis and predictive modelling. I am keen to apply advanced machine learning methods to automatic fetal MRI segmentation and predictive modelling of stillbirth.
Zak Crownson (Research Fellow)
zak.crowson2@nottingham.ac.uk
I am the postdoctoral researcher working alongside the mathematics team. My research interests are in the areas of computational and applied mathematics, specifically the development of models and implementation of numerical schemes which can predict complex haemodynamic flows. I look forward to contributing to current understanding on how placental contractions affect the blood flow in the placenta.
xin.chen@nottingham.ac.uk
@XinChenUoN
I am a machine learning scientist working in the areas of medical image analysis and predictive modelling. I am keen to apply advanced machine learning methods to automatic fetal MRI segmentation and predictive modelling of stillbirth.
ezzrnc@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
My current research consists of the development of fibre optic sensors for healthcare applications. I am currently developing a fibre optic pressure sensor based on fibre Bragg gratings for measuring contact pressure on the cuff of endotracheal tubes used for the artificial ventilation in intensive care. I am also developing novel chemical sensors using long period gratings coated with chemical selective coatings.
msznsd@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
I am a physiologist working in applied MRI and I am much looking forward to finding out more about the role of placental and uterine contractions we have started distinguishing over the last few years, and whether they can serve as a marker for stillbirth risk.
pmzgf@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
@gpfigueredo
I am a data and machine learning scientist working in digital health data analysis for better care. I am excited to be part of such a great team working to improve our understanding of stillbirth mechanisms. I am keen to apply intelligent data approaches to understand longitudinal changes in the placenta and to build risk and predictive models of stillbirth.
Barrie.hayes-gill@nottingham.ac.uk
Electronic engineer specialising in the design, fabrication and in-vivo testing of medical devices. Key achievements have involved fetal and maternal monitoring cardiotocography using abdominal electrodes – over 500,000 patches sold worldwide. Other work: opto-electronic design of photoplethysmography devices for pulse rate and oxygen saturation; application of fibre optic sensors for healthcare. Very much looking forward to this new WL project.
paul.houston@nottingham.ac.uk
@P__Houston
I am a computational applied mathematician working in the area of numerical methods for partial differential equations. I’m really excited to be part of this collaborative team. By utilising new state of the art computational techniques, we will simulate blood flow and oxygen transport within the placenta to study the risk factors associated with stillbirth.
pmzmeh@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
I am a specialist in the development of computational algorithms for the approximation of partial differential equations. My early work was mainly in fluid dynamics, with applications ranging from aerodynamics of aircraft to weather prediction and coastal flood modelling. More recently I have become interested in biomedical applications, such as predicting cardiac arrhythmia or the growth of cancer and its response to therapy. This project, specifically the simulation of fluid flow and transport in a contracting placenta, fits perfectly with my current work on modelling problems with moving boundaries.
I am a biomedical engineer with experience in creating new medical devices. I am excited by the opportunity to work with this interdisciplinary team to develop new wearable technology to understand and reduce stillbirths.
reuben.odea@nottingham.ac.uk
@reubenodea
I am an applied mathematician, working primarily in interdisciplinary projects in mathematical biology, with applications in placental flow, asthma, tissue engineering and neuroscience. I am excited to join this team and develop and analyse new models of placental flow, transport and biomechanics to help the understanding of stillbirth risk.
frederique.vanheusden@ntu.ac.uk
I am a biomedical engineer working in the area of biomedical signal processing. I really look forward to joining this experienced, multidisciplinary team in improving our understanding of the causes of stillbirth and development of preventative measures against stillbirth.
Kate Walker (Co-Investigator)
mszkfw@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
@kate3539
I'm an academic obstetrician with expertise in clinical trials, advanced maternal age, stillbirth, induction of labour and childbirth experience. Areas of expertise include stillbirth; induction of labour; childbirth experience; perinatal clinical trials.
qimei.zhang@ntu.ac.uk
Qimei Zhang is a senior lecturer in the Department of Engineering. Her research interests include novel applications of Fibre Bragg gratings, development of novel fabrication techniques for optical fibre biosensors, and biomedical optics imaging using hybrid optical and ultrasound techniques.
Shara Nippard (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement representative) (Collaborator)
More information coming soon.
pszjmg@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
My main research interest is in developing intelligent techniques to model human reasoning in uncertain environments, with a particular emphasis on the medical domain. My main technical area of research is into using non-standard fuzzy sets and systems, such as type-2 fuzzy sets and systems, to model human reasoning processes. Keywords: fuzzy sets and systems; uncertainty handling; data analysis; decision support systems; medical applications
Andrew.peters@nottingham.ac.uk
Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre Manager and MR Physicist.
As the centre manager, I have responsibility for technical infrastructure, ensuring that the facilities that we have are kept up to date, maintained and developed to best support our research needs. As well as providing first line support to users, I also provide expertise in scanner programming, data formats and data transfer.
craig.platt2@nuh.nhs.uk
Clinical Pathologist at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust with a particular interest in placental pathology.
George Hutchinson (Staff)
ppxgh@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
More information coming soon.
Adam Blakely (PhD Researcher)
I am a PhD Researcher in Mathematical Sciences, focussing on developing mathematical models of maternal blood flow in the placenta. I primarily work with incompressible porous media flows, which I solve in-silico with discontinuous Galerkin finite element methods. I am particularly interested in the effect of placental contractions on the uniformity of nutrient exchange.
Adam Goldberg (Research Support)
lizawg@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk
@Cash4Questions
I'm Research Development Manager (Charities), in the Research Strategy and Development Team in Research and Innovation. I support our engagement with major research charities including the Wellcome Trust and the Leverhulme Trust, as well as some major and strategic research grant applications.
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