The Project
As an infant is born, so is the relationship between the infant and his/her parents (especially mom). The baby is born together with the dyad.
This relationship is the primary one in the infant’s life, and vital both for the survival of the infant and the wellbeing of the mother. It is also essential for the continual development of the connection between parent and infant.
However, when perinatal events modify the health of the infant, this vital relationship is in danger. Our role, as the professionals supporting the dyad through the first stages of development, is to help the dyad to get there, ‘there’ being the potential of the infant development and parental belief in their child, thereby increasing the possibilities of the quality of life for the child and harmony for the family.
BORNTOGETTHERE aims to support and empower families of infants at neurodevelopmental risk, from being born together to being born to get “there”, to the full potential of the infant development and family harmony.
Project Structure
BORNTOGETTHERE is centred on the clinical implementation of context-specific, early detection (ED), early surveillance (ES) and early intervention (EI) for infants at high risk of CP in multiple sites including Europe, associated low and middle income countries, and hard to reach populations.
Partners
BORNTOGETTHERE Consortium is composed of 9 partners, 6 coming from 3 EU Member States (Italy, Denmark, Netherlands), 2 from 2 associated countries (Georgia and Sri Lanka) and one from Australia.
The University of Pisa, one of the most ancient and prestigious universities in Europe, is organised in 20 departments and is characterized by a wide range of study programmes including 58 First cycle degree, 65 Long cycle degree, 9 long single-cycle degree, 37 PhD programmes, 51 Specialisation Schools, and 67 Masters courses. The academic staff includes 1459 professors and researchers, 1537 administrative employees, and more than 50.000 students. According to the most recent QS World University Rankings list 2019 released by the Quacquarelli Symonds (www.qs.com), the UNIPI is one of top ten Italian Universities.
The Fondazione Stella Maris (FSM) is a National Biomedical Research Institute (IRCCS) and a tertiary care University Research Hospital financed by the Italian Ministry of Health and by the National Health System, specialized in diagnosis and rehabilitation in child neurology and psychiatry. It hosts both inpatient and outpatient services and has a unique and strong synergy of clinical and research efforts in each department. It is the only Center in Italy specifically focused on child and adolescent neurology and psychiatry in both clinical and biomedical research perspectives.
The University of Copenhagen is the largest research and education institution in Scandinavia. UCPH has around 38,000 enrolled students (including 3,500 international student), more than 3,100 PhD students and 9,000 employees
(of which 5,000 researchers). The Faculty of Health alone has 1,600 PhD students and employs almost 1,800 researchers. The university encompasses six faculties and ~100 departments and research centres. Internationally,
the University is highly competitive and the most recent Shanghai rankings placed the University as No. 30 worldwide and
No. 6 in Europe.
The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is a large university Hospital providing complex tertiary and quaternary medical care for the Northern part of the Netherlands, being the only University Hospital in that area. It has a large perinatal center, and its services include pediatric surgery, pediatric cardiology and pediatric cardiac surgery. The Neonatal intensive Care Unit has yearly around 600 admissions. The services include a regular, well-organized neonatal follow-up in a close collaboration with the 10 regional hospitals in the area of the UMCG.
Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation (CPLF) is a non-profit organization set up primarily to assist persons affected by Cerebral Palsy (CP), and to support their families. CPLF is the first and the only organization in Sri Lanka established specifically for people with CP. The foundation’s creation was inspired by the clear need to help those with CP in Sri Lanka. CPLF aims on becoming a centre of excellence which provides world class treatment, education, services and programs supporting those with CP, their carers and other stakeholders. The foundation also aims to raise awareness, to build long-term capacity and educate the public and other stakeholder groups on CP and other physical disabilities and movement disorder.
HUBstract is an SME created in 2013. The strength of Hubstract lies in the experience that its members gained “by doing” during their previous direct experience as managers of research projects. Today, Hubstract team can offer high-quality technical services thanks to the close collaboration of highly qualified personnel with strong individual specialization. Hubstract is particularly active in dissemination and communication activities offering highly specialised services to design and implement tailor-made, pragmatic & effective communication plans.
The University of Queensland (UQ) contributes positively to society by engaging in the creation, preservation, transfer and application of knowledge. UQ has an outstanding reputation for the quality of both education and research programs. Ranked amongst world’s top universities, UQ is a member of Australia’s Group of Eight, edX, and international consortium of Universitas 21. Our research institutes and faculties, funded by government and industry grants, philanthropy and commercialisation activities, have built scale and foci neuroscience, biomolecular and biomedical sciences, sustainable minerals, bioengineering and nanotechnology, as well as social science research areas. The University of Queensland (UQ) is a public research-intensive institution with 50,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. It is ranked as the 48th most reputable university in the world (QS, 2018) and UQ’s research is rated above world standard in 22 broad.
DTMU (formerly called as AIETI Medical School up to 2011) started functioning in 1992/1993 academic year. It is one of the first
non- governmental higher medical education institutions in Georgia. It has AIETI Medical School and School of Public Health and offers postgraduate studies. AIETI Medical School is providing MD undergraduate and PhD education
programs in Health and Biomedicine (first admission was in 2008-2009 academic year), also residency programs. AIETI is included into WHO AVICENNA Directory for MedicineBETA and into FAIMER International Medical Education
Directory. It is a member of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE), Association of Medical Schools in Europe (AMSE), European University Association (EUA) and organization for PhD Education in Biomedicine
and Health Sciences in the European System (ORPHEUS). The Mission of the AIETI Medical School is to provide scientifically oriented Higher Medical Education based on the best international experience.
TLS is part of many networks at Italian and European level. Namely, TLS is part of the APSTI (Italian Scientific Park Association). TLS manages the Tuscany Life Science Cluster (TLSC), thus having access to its entire network of about 200 companies and several research centres, and takes active part in the Italian Life Sciences Cluster. TLS takes also part into the In2LifeSciences project as an Observing Region. TLS is an active member of the National Life Science Cluster of Italy (3 national life sciences industrial associations, 4 national research organizations, 12 life sciences organizations representing regional interests in the sector) and it is also a member of the European Council of Bioregions (CEBR).
Ethics Advisory Board
Ethics Advisory Board (Data and Safety Monitoring Board) is composed by medical physician scientist or clinician from each of the involved countries with expertise in the healthcare quality improvement and clinical trials monitoring, at least one biostatistician knowledgeable about statistical methods for clinical healthcare outcomes and sequential analysis of clinical data; one healthcare economist, and an external independent medical ethics expert not employed by any of the beneficiary organizations, and a one non-scientist representative who will help on bringing the perspectives of the population under study e.g. at least one member of a parent organization. Thee Board is chaired by Domenico Romeo, Policlinico Gemelli
Executive Board
The Executive Board is the ultimate decision-making body of the consortium. It is composed of one representative from each Party and chaired by
Andrea Guzzetta, Università di Pisa
Innovation Management Board
The Innovation Management Board (IMB) is created with the goal to provide support to all the parties in tackling any Intellectual Property Rights generated throughout the project duration and therefore help the consortium to better manage the knowledge and results produced, thus fostering technology transfer and innovation. The IMB supervises the implementation and correct execution of the provisions concerning the management of the IPR, The board is composed by one representative for each party and chaired by Dr. Andrea Frosini, Toscana Life Sciences