The brain of the newborn is very different compared to that of the adult. This poses a major problem in assessing the origins of its injuries and in developing therapies and management strategies. It is difficult to study the healthy and at-risk populations both technically, because of the lack of appropriate tools, and also ethically because consent and risks have to be taken into consideration. This is even more complicated when the newborn is born prematurely, or with a condition affecting development in the uterus.

Tiny Brains will develop an advanced photonics-based neuro-imaging device to understand the mechanisms underlying brain damage in congenital heart-defects infants. The four-year project, funded by the European Union, includes researchers form six institutions in three different countries. The consortium is formed by two academic institutions, ICFO and the University de Picardie Jules Verne; the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital as the medical institution; and HemoPhotonics, BioPixS, and Seenel Imaging as the three industrial partners.

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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no 101017113.