Triple research success for CAHS newborn health studies
From left: Deb Portughes OAM (WIRF CEO), Diana Aguirre (from Dr Alexander Wilson’s research team), Associate Professor Jonathan Davis, Associate Professor Gayatri Jape and Professor Matt Kemp (WIRF Chief Scientist).
Three Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) research projects aimed at improving outcomes for newborns have received funding through the Women and Infants Research Foundation's 2026 Research Acceleration Awards.
One of the successful projects will investigate whether probiotic supplements can improve health outcomes for babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes.
The study's lead, Neonatologist Associate Professor Gayatri Jape, says gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy, affecting about one in five pregnancies. Babies born to mothers with GDM are at increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and neurodevelopmental challenges later in life.
"Our study responds to emerging research that suggests GDM alters the infants gut microbiome which plays a role in metabolism, immune function and brain development," A/Professor Gayatri says.
"We hope that if we can restore a healthier gut microbiome in these infants using probiotic supplementation, we can also improve their long-term health outcomes."
"If successful, this would be an important breakthrough involving a simple, safe and low-cost intervention."
The Research Acceleration Awards support projects tackling critical health challenges affecting women and babies. The three CAHS projects were among 10 studies awarded funding of between $45,000 and $50,000 in the fourth round of the program.
The other two CAHS projects awarded funding are:
Dr Jonathan Davis, Medical Director of WA's Neonatal Emergency Transfer Service, will investigate how environmental factors experienced during newborn transport, including temperature fluctuation, vibration and pressure changes, affect newborn brain and lung development.
The findings will help inform neonatal transport practices and improve outcomes for newborns across Western Australia who require long-distance transfer for specialist care.
Dr Alexander Wilson, Neonatal Retrieval Consultant, will evaluate the use of NeoBeat ECG technology during neonatal resuscitation.
Effective neonatal resuscitation relies on rapid assessment of an infant's condition immediately after birth. Dr Wilson's study will determine whether real-time heart rate monitoring using the hands-free NeoBeat device improves clinician performance, visual attention and ventilation quality.
Together, the projects highlight CAHS' commitment to advancing research that improves the health and wellbeing of babies and families across Western Australia.