Objectives

The main objective of Prometeus is to provide a framework for personalized brain-oriented nutrition for preterm babies (“feed” the brain, based on real-time monitoring of cerebral blood flow, oxygenation and brain metabolic supplies). With Prometeus, we will reduce the number of former preterm children needing some sort of school support from ~125,000 to ~25,000 per year, thus reducing of a similar proportion prematurity related costs over a 5-year period, from 25,000,000€ per year in Europe to 5,000,000€.

To achieve this final aim, Prometeus will first reach different objectives:

To develop a new non-invasive brain-imaging technology (neo-opticap) that will provide markers of the neurophysiological impact of metabolic state from multiple brain location, measuring cerebral lood flow, oxygenation and metabolism
To develop a miniaturized on-body patch sensor for the minimally invasive continuous monitoring of the three key brain metabolites
To define a metabolic model of the effect of nutrition on cerebral blood flow, oxygenation and metabolism
To develop a Nutritional Clinical Advisor (NCA), that will guide parenteral (intravenous) nutritional intakes of preterm neonates to achieve optimal brain oxygenation
To design a cloud-based app for healthcare personnel and families that incorporates the digital twin neonate
To test the efficacy of Prometeus at improving cerebral blood flow, oxygenation and metabolism of preterm neonates admitted to NICU
To create the first Visual and Oral Archive of Prematurity to inform developers of medical devices but also to support families and healthcare personnel experiencing premature birth