The NI Clinical Research Network (NICRN) serves as a platform for conducting clinical research in Child Health throughout Northern Ireland.
The NICRN aims to:
- Provide links between National Trials recruiting within the paediatric population and Northern Irish paediatricians and patients
- Facilitates communication between pan European Connect 4 Children Trials and well as trials supported through the UK Children’s Medicines Research Group and the National Institute for Health Research
- Provide support for local clinicians who would like to become Principal Investigators for trials involving their patients, to allow equality of access to innovative research throughout the UK and Ireland.
Areas of interest include the following:
- Paediatric Oncology
- New-born respiratory care trials
- The evolution of neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Cleft lip and/or palate
- Other Perinatal Research
Dr David Sweet – BHSCT
Child Health Clinical Lead
David Sweet MD MRCP(Ire) FRCPCH
David Sweet graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1990 and trained in Paediatrics and Neonatal Medicine in Northern Ireland and Western Australia.
Appointed as a consultant Neonatologist in the Regional Neonatal Unit in the Royal Maternity Hospital in Belfast in 2003 and Honorary Clinical Lecturer for the Dept. of Child Health, Queen’s University in 2007. 35 peer reviewed publications and review articles to date, mostly related to new-born respiratory care and the evolution of neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
David is the Northern Ireland Co-ordinator of several multicentre trials and maintains an active interest in Perinatal Research and Evidence-based medicine. He is first author of all 5 editions of the European Guidelines on the Management of RDS. – 2007 – 2019.
David is a co-PI and clinical lead for Child Health for the NI Clinical Research Network.
Contact email: David.Sweet@belfasttrust.hscni.net
Dr Brian McCrossan – BHSCT
Child Health Clinical Lead
Brian McCrossan MB Bch BaO
Brian is a consultant Paediatric Cardiologist. He works between the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children and the Royal Victoria Hospital. He graduated in Medicine from Queen’s University, Belfast in 2001 and was awarded an MD in 2009. He trained in Paediatric Cardiology at RBHSC as well as a fellowship at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. He completed his Interventional Catheterisation training in Dublin.
Brian has a strong research interest in telemedicine applications to paediatric cardiology and novel congenital cardiac catheterisation techniques having published widely in these fields.
He is an honorary clinical lecturer at Queen’s University, Belfast. He has expanded his research interests into the development of databases of genetic conditions associated with congenital heart disease and the role of novel biomarkers in young people with single ventricle physiology.
Contact email: Brian.McCrossan@belfasttrust.hscni.net
Current Children’s Research Studies
ENHANCE
ENHANCE is a multi-centre,healthy control study which will take part in thirteen paediatric sites across Ireland and the UK over a five-year period. All people with CF(PwCF) from the birth up to the age of 5 years of age are eligible to enrol on this study. The study will have its base in RCSI and Children’s Health Ireland (Crumlin) in Dublin.
Study Website: https://www.rcsi.com/research
NICRN Research Team Contact: ChildrensResearch@belfasttrust.hscni.net
TinyCMV
Cytomegalovirus (CMV), the international leading cause of neurodevelopmental impairment from infection acquired during pregnancy, is estimated to affect over 4200 babies and cost over £750 million each year in the UK. CMV is a common virus usually causing mild infection in healthy individuals, however CMV can cause serious disease if it affects a baby during pregnancy. Only the most severely affected cases of CMV acquired in pregnancy tend to be identified by healthcare professionals because there is currently no screening for this condition. Approximately 300 CMV-infected infants may be missed or diagnosed late due to non-specific signs and symptoms; and an estimated 500 infants do not initially have symptoms but develop poor outcomes including hearing impairment, behavioural problems, social, communication and learning difficulties. These children therefore do not receive timely antiviral treatment that could prevent these outcomes. Our research aims to further the understanding of why some infants are more severely affected by CMV than others, and to identify markers in the blood of CMV infection that will help predict which infants will have poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, and therefore who will most likely benefit from early antiviral treatment. This information could endorse a national newborn screening programme in a two-stage approach: initially identification of CMV-infection, and secondly identification of who would benefit from treatment. A critical component of early treatment is the development of tools and strategies to diagnose CMV-infection and this study will contribute to the development of two investigations to assist early diagnosis. This study will also examine whether interventional clinical psychology can support and improve the lives of children and their families affected by CMV.
Study Website: Research | Imperial College London
NICRN Research Team Contact: ChildrensResearch@belfasttrust.hscni.net
FIORE
A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 study to investigate the efficacy, safety, and PK/ PD of finerenone, in addition to standard-of-care, in paediatric patients, 6 months to < 18 years of age with heart failure (HF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD)
Study Website: Home | Bayer Global
NICRN Research Team Contact: ChildrensResearch@belfasttrust.hscni.net
AEROFACT
Aerogen Pharma is planning a Phase 3 pivotal study of AeroFact™, an investigational drug/device combination for the non-invasive delivery of aerosolized surfactant therapy to preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). RDS is a breathing disorder that affects babies born too early whose lungs are not fully developed.
Study Website: Hospital Respiratory Drug Treatment | Aerogen Pharma | Products
NICRN Research Team Contact: ChildrensResearch@belfasttrust.hscni.net
For further information on previous research studies undertaken in the Children’s group please follow the link below to our Good News page.