On World Health Day, Dr Cheryl Battersby, Clinical Senior Lecturer in the School of Public Health and theme lead for Neonatal Medicine at Imperial’s Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health (PaeCH), shares how neonatal research is helping to shape lifelong health outcomes for the most vulnerable babies. From harnessing the power of national data to leading pioneering research programmes, Cheryl and her colleagues are working to ensure that every baby – no matter how early or unwell they are born – has the best possible start in life.
We believe that every child deserves the best start in life, and we know from decades of research and clinical care that the health of a baby in the first days and weeks after birth can shape their entire future.
In the UK alone, around 90,000 babies each year are admitted to neonatal units. Some are born too soon. Others arrive on time but need urgent medical care. These fragile early moments matter. They are the beginning of a lifelong journey.
At Imperial College London, our Neonatal Medicine Research Group is one of the largest academic neonatal centres in the UK. We’re a dynamic team of neonatologists (doctors who specialise in the care of newborn infants), neonatal nurses, statisticians, data scientists, and public involvement experts – working together to transform care for the smallest, sickest newborns.
Turning data into hope
I lead the NIHR-funded neoWONDER programme: ‘Neonatal Whole Population Data linkage to improve lifelong health and wellbeing of preterm babies’ – an ambitious project linking data from more than a decade of neonatal care to long-term health, mental health, and education outcomes. By connecting neonatal data from the UK National Neonatal Research Database with the National Pupil Database, we’re taking a life-course approach to uncover what truly helps preterm (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) and sick babies not just survive – but thrive.
This project harnesses the strength of population data, combining it with insights from those it affects most – parents and patients. We work hand-in-hand with families to ensure our questions and answers reflect what matters most to them. One recent study we led showed that after changes to national guidance, three times as many babies born at just 22 weeks received intensive care and survived. Yet the mortality rate remained unchanged. This tells us we have more work to do – and we are committed to doing it.
Alongside my research, I serve as Honorary Secretary of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and chair the Nano-preterm Specialist Interest Group, a national collective focused on improving outcomes for the tiniest and most vulnerable infants.
Pioneering trials, saving lives
My colleague, Professor Chris Gale, a global leader in neonatal clinical trials, heads two of the largest ever conducted in preterm care. The neoGASTRIC and WHEAT International trials aim to prevent necrotising enterocolitis, a life-threatening bowel condition in newborns. Chris also leads national surveillance of perinatal brain injuries and monitors the impact of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in newborns – work that ensures policy and practice stay responsive to emerging threats.
The science of growth and development
Another colleague of mine, Professor Sabita Uthaya, focuses her research on how body composition in newborns – both preterm and full term – can shape their long-term health. She leads the BASE trial, investigating the use of sodium bicarbonate in very preterm babies with metabolic acidosis (a condition in which the body produces too much acid). Sabita also directs the prestigious Neonatal Update Conference, hosted annually by Imperial, which draws hundreds of clinicians and researchers from around the world to share advances in the science – and art – of newborn care. 
As we look to the future, our goal remains clear: to give every baby the strongest, healthiest start in life. Through research, collaboration and a commitment to improving outcomes, we hope to shape a world where all children – regardless of how they enter it – can grow, thrive, and look forward to brighter, healthier futures.