Short summary

With this project we want to determine the normal development of the human intestinal immune system in premature and mature neonatal life and to determine the pathophysiology behind life-threatening gastrointestinal diseases that appear during early life. A secondary aim is to investigate the development of the immune system in relation to the enteral nutrition during the neonatal period.

Rationale

We hypothesize that knowledge gained from our project will improve treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract, specifically the life- threatening necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and challenge current guidelines in enteral nutrition in various diseases and in the healthy child.

Description of the cohort

Premature babies (with or without the development of NEC) and newborns with gastrointestinal malformations

Data and biological material

Fecal samples, intestinal tissue, cinical data in relation to disease/malformation and data on nutritional support.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Neonatology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen

• Lise Aunsholt, ph.d.

Technical University of Denmark

• Valileious Bekiaris, ph.d.