Background and purpose
Research in Perinatal Medicine and Health in Gothenburg has been extensive and successful for many years. The high number of publications by the participants and their impressive citation index is a testament to that important achievements in this area are already being made (Please see under the heading Publications).
Background
However, we are convinced that the formation of a Centre for Perinatal Medicine and Health can promote and facilitate research in this important field further to the benefit of all participants, our patients and the next generation of young scientists.
In May 2017 all deliveries and neonatal care was centralized to Sahlgrenska University Hospital / East Campus in Gothenburg leading to the formation of the largest single obstetric and neonatal clinical unit in Scandinavia. Such centralization of clinical care will improve the possibilities to perform large high quality trans-disciplinary clinical and translational studies which can be coordinated by a Centre for Perinatal Medicine and Health.
The overall goal of the Perinatal Centre is to improve health care for pregnant women and children leading to a reduced infant mortality and morbidity, improved long-term health, quality of life and participation in society. This will be achieved by multidisciplinary research (from molecular to societal level) by creating synergistic interactions between diverse groups both within and outside University of Gothenburg and in close connection with strong international collaborations.
The purpose of PROMISE
- Combine the research strenghts, competence and resources at the respective departments to create stronger collaborative research projects that are more competitive than at present and thereby being more attractive for funding at medical research councils, EU and industry.
- Increases the global health initiative of Gothenburg University related to perinatal research and health care development, through establishment of a stronger collaboration with Fudan University in Shanghai and Tribhuvan Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal.
- There is a very successful center in child neuropsychiatry under the leadership of Christoffer Gillberg (Gillberg Neuropsyhiatry Centre,GNC). PROMISE acts as an important collaborative partner for GNC, in particular today when it is becoming increasingly understood that events during fetal and neonatal life are critical for development of neuropsychiatric conditions later in life.
- Further strenghtening of already existing international networks including the following institutions King's College London, Cornell University, NYC, Inserm, Paris, UCSF US and Harvard Medical School
- Creates a multidisciplinary research center bridging the gap between Sahlgrenska Academy and the Health Care in Västra Götaland, as well as in particular between the Inst of Clinical Sciences, Inst of Neuroscience and Physiology and Institute of Health and Care Sciences within Sahlgrenska Academy (see Figure 1)