Research Philosophy

NEOMUNE targets newborn infants with special requirements for maternal and clinical care (e.g. compromised infants devoid of breast-feeding). To avoid small sample size in studies, it is important to establish large, international collaborative networks. Additionally, these are important for the overall research quality and effect. The members list shows that NEOMUNE is highly international and involve leading experts in the field.

NEOMUNE includes leading international infant formula companies. It is important that NEOMUNE is open to inputs from different parts of the world to better define potentials and limitations. Treatment practices for newborn infants and their mothers differ among different parts of the world. At the biological level, this is investigated in WP 1.6 by establishing a data base for different procedures and feeding regimens for preterm infants in China, Netherlands and Denmark. The international cultural challenges are also given particular focus also in WP 1.7 where social and cultural differences in clinical infant care between China and Europe are described.

NEOMUNE will strongly encourage exchange of (young) researchers among different study sites and laboratories, facilitating both scientific and cross-cultural learning. The NEOMUNE associated annual PhD course in “Food, Medicine and Philosophy in East and West” underlines the aim to relate NEOMUNE science to the wider global society and health perceptions, beyond those held by hospitals and laboratories.

We encourage NEOMUNE research groups to speak across borders, not only geographical but just as much scientific and cultural scientific borders within the same country, and across the borders between universities, hospitals and industries. Each partner in NEOMUNE has their own traditions and language, but by interacting with neighboring fields we are able to translate basic science into new knowledge that is relevant for society. We illustrate this basic principle in a figure:

Translational Pediatric Research

How to get from bench to bedside – and beyond?