Feedback wanted on proposed Biobank research

A note from the Newcastle Neonatal Research Team:

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work with a US based technology company that wants to try and develop a bedside test to alert doctors to early signs of disease, including infections and bowel problems (NEC) in preterm babies. This research and innovation may take many years to develop but in the future may lead to better outcomes for babies.

Our Tiny Lives funded biobank contains lots of samples of baby stool (poo) that has already led to internationally recognised research in this area. We now want to work with this US company to see if we can help develop the technology. The biobank already has parents permissions to store these samples for this kind of research and innovation.

Each time we develop a new project we discuss this with a Biobank Governance Committee. However, we want to let parents and the public what we are doing, and why we are doing this. There is no additional cost to Tiny Lives or the biobank for this work.

If you would like to comment on this research, you can do so on the recent post on our Facebook page.

You can find out more about the Biobank here.