The Irish Cerebral Palsy Programme

Transforming cerebral palsy care in Ireland

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Funding

Grant Name;
Research Summary		FunderInvestigatorsYears
A National Model of Care for CP and Knowledge Translation ProjectHSEJennifer Ryan & Denise McDonald2026-2028
Sophie: School-age Outcome Prediction using radiomic imaging algorithm in Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy

To develop a predictive neonatal MRI biomarker algorithm that combines radiomic features associated with evolution of brain injury on School-age MRI scans, and qualitative neonatal MRI assessment, to predict School age cognitive outcome following Neonatal HIE.		Children’s Health FoundationBrian Walsh & Deirdre Murray2025
Can-Vas Cell Therapy Platform: Unlocking life changing treatments for neonatal brain injury

The Phase 1b study will be the first-in human clinical trial of the therapy which aims to decrease the risk of Cerebral Palsy and disability following newborn brain injury.		Enterprise IrelandDeirdre Murray & Geraldine Boylan2025-2028
Exploring experiences and co producing supports to promote mental wellbeing and improve access to mental health services for children with physical disabilities in IrelandHealth Research Board/ Central Remedial ClinicJennifer Ryan & Denise McDonald2025
Co-production of an adapted Physical Activity Referral Scheme to enhance community participation by young people with physical disability (COPARtake) IrelandHealth Research Board/ Central Remedial ClinicJennifer Ryan (co-investigator)2025
Development of implementation strategies to promote an evidence based approach to prevention of musculoskeletal complication among children with cerebral palsy; a mixed methods studyHealth Research BoardJennifer Ryan & Denise McDonald2025-2029
Building connections with general practitioners to support transition to adult health services for young people with childhood-onset physical disabilityHealth Research BoardJennifer Ryan2025-2026
A co-design approach to supporting mental health and well-being among young people with cerebral palsyHealth Research BoardJennifer Ryan2025-2026
AIMS CP

Group-based projects awarded by Trinity to researchers in Trinity. Improving outcomes of children with CP through four PhD-led research projects focusing on movement patterns, multi organ systems, sleep, and health and wellbeing indicators.		Trinity Research Doctoral Award—TRDADenise McDonald (co-investigator)2024-2028
Access Map

Developing a web-based health support tool for people with CP, focusing on enhancing access to community healthcare and resources.		Smart D8Jennifer Ryan (co-investigator)2024-2026
CP-EXCEL

Developing and evaluating online physiotherapy-led exercise classes for adults with CP to improve mobility, independence, and long-term health outcomes.		Research IrelandJennifer Ryan2024-2028
ELEVATE

Bringing advanced scientific approaches including artificial intelligence analysis of neonatal datasets and biomarker discovery to allow development of new methods of earlier CP detection and prediction of cognitive outcome.		Research IrelandGeraldine Boylan & Deirdre Murray2024-2029
Neurodisability app

Development of an app to support transition from children to adult health services among people with neuro-disability.		HSE Spark Impact FundingJennifer Ryan & Denise McDonald (co-investigators)2024-2026
Parent Education and Focus Groups

Supporting the development of parent education materials and community focus groups to improve awareness and decision-making for CP.		Health Research BoardGeraldine Boylan & Deirdre Murray2023-2024
COOL Prime Study

COOL Prime Study is an observational study that is looking at the effects of therapeutic hypothermia vs usual care in newborn infants with mild hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).		PCORI (Patient Centred Outcomes Research Institute), based in USBrian Walsh & Geraldine Boylan2023-2027
ALPACAS Project

Examining multi-organ dysfunction in children with CP, aiming to create core outcome sets and educational tools to guide interventions and improve patient care.		Health Research BoardEleanor Molloy, Denise McDonald & Jennifer Ryan2024-2028

Publications

  1. Steering Group for DEFiNE (Definition of Neonatal Encephalopathy). Systematic review of terminology, definitions, and eligibility criteria in trials of neonatal encephalopathy, hypox­ic-ischemic encephalopathy, and perinatal asphyxia. Hurley T, Quirke F, Branagan A, McCarthy R, Finucane E, King G, Taneri PE, El-Dib M, Bloomfield FH, Maeso B, Pilon B, Bonifacio S, Wusthoff CJ, Chalak L, Bearer CF, Murray DM, Badawi N, Campbell SK, Mulkey SB, Gressens P, Ferriero DM, Vries LS, Walker K, Kay S, Boylan GB, Gale C, Robertson NJ, D’Alton M, Nesterenko TH, Mietzsch U, Gunn AJ, Nelson KB, Devane D, Molloy EJ; Pediatr Res. 2026;doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-04750-2.
  2. Newborn Brain Consortium. High-risk infant follow-up: current practice and factors deter­mining eligibility. Clifford D, Steggerda S, Maitre N, de Vries LS, Murray DM. Pediatr Res. 2026 Jan;99(1):203-208. doi:10.1038/s41390-025-04154-2.
  3. Remote assessment of infant development: Is universal screening of early motor milestones within reach? Murray D. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2026 Mar 13. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.70241.
  4. Sleep and infant development in the first year. O’Connor C, Ventura S, Proietti J, O’Sullivan MP, Boylan GB. Pediatr Res. 2026 Feb 2. doi: 10.1038/s41390-026-04780-4.
  5. Sleep and development in cerebral palsy. Proietti J, Cantalupo G, Boylan GB. Pediatr Res. 2026 Jan 26. doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-04749-9.
  6. Mental health difficulties in cerebral palsy: A qualitative study of young people’s and parents’ perspectives. Manikandan M, Fortune J, Burke J, Walsh A, Twohig A, McClelland I, Breen A, Norris M, Ryan JM; RELATE-CP Study Team. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2026;doi:10.1111/dmcn.70229.
  7. Gastroenterological disorders and hepatic disease in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review. Marciniak CM, Ryan JM, Camacho-Soto A, Capellari E, Burke J, Sofiany M, Post Z, Sung EC, Brown MD; Adult Cerebral Palsy Clinical Practice Guidelines Working Group. Dev Med Child Neu­rol. 2026;68(3):313-331. doi:10.1111/dmcn.70034.
  8. Collaborative practice to support community-based physical activity for young people with childhood-onset physical disability: A scoping review. Brady K, Ryan JM, Cooper A, Shields N, Sofiany M, Malone A. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2026;doi:10.1111/dmcn.70209.2025
  9. 2025The role of social determinants of health in the developing injured brain. Clifford D, Walsh BH, Murray DM. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2025;37(6):570-576. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000001505.
  10. Towards universal early screening for cerebral palsy: a roadmap for automated General Movements Assessment. Spittle AJ, Marschik PB, Adde L, Badawi N, Byrne R, Bos AF, Chatelin A, Coughlan J, Fedeli F, Guzzetta A, Ho ESL, Johnson MJ, Kwong A, McEwan A, Morgan C, Mughogho A, Murray DM, Orlandi S, Peyton C, Prosser LA, Ritterband-Rosenbaum A, Tran T, Zhang D, Pass­more E. Clinical Medicine. 2025;86:103379. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103379.
  11. The relationship between below average cognitive ability at age 5 years and the child’s experience of school at age 9. Bowe AK, Urban M, Staines A, Murray DM. Front Public Health. 2025;13:1341797. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1341797.
  12. Epilepsy following neonatal encephalopathy-Future directions. Stephens CM, Proietti J, Mathie­son SR, Livingstone V, McNamara B, McSweeney N, O’Mahony O, Walsh BH, Murray DM, Boylan GB. Epilepsia Open. 2025;10(2):656-657. doi:10.1002/epi4.70011.
  13. Infant sleep EEG features at 4 months as biomarkers of neurodevelopment at 18 months. Ventura S, Mathieson SR, O’Toole JM, Livingstone V, Murray DM, Boylan GB. Pediatr Res. 2025;98(4):1474-1485. doi: 10.1038/s41390-025-03893-6.
  14. Incidence and Predictors of Later Epilepsy in Neonates with Encephalopathy: The Impact of Electrographic Seizures. Stephens CM, Proietti J, Mathieson SR, Livingstone V, McNamara B, McSweeney N, O’Mahony O, Walsh BH, Murray DM, Boylan GB. Epilepsia Open. 2025;10(1):155-167. doi: 10.1002/epi4.13089.
  15. Validation of a machine learning algorithm for identifying infants at risk of hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in a large unseen data set. Murray AL, O’Boyle DS, Walsh BH, Murray DM. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025;110(3):279-284. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-327366.
  16. Consensus definition and diagnostic criteria for neonatal encephalopathy-study protocol for a real-time modified delphi study. Branagan A, Hurley T, Quirke F, Devane D, Taneri PE, Badawi N, Sinha B, Bearer C, Bloomfield FH, Bonifacio SL, Boylan GB, Campbell SK, Chalak L, D’Alton M, deVries LS, El Dib M, Ferriero DM, Gale C, Gressens P, Gunn AJ, Kay S, Maeso B, Mulkey SB, Murray DM, Nelson KB, Nesterenko TH, Pilon B, Robertson NJ, Walker K, Wusthoff CJ, Molloy EJ; Steering Group for DEFiNE (Definition of Neonatal Encephalopathy). Pediatr Res. 2025;97(1):430-436. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03303-3.
  17. MRI scoring systems in neonatal encephalopathy and neurodevelopmental outcomes: a sys­tematic review. Finnegan E, Assi A, Carroll E, Higgins Jennings A, Roe D, Olaseinde O, McCarthy A, Wong YJ, O’Connor N, Dalton C, Khajah A, Adnan A, Counihan B, Trayer J, Stewart P, McCarthy R, Byrne AT, Roche EF, McDonald D, Meehan J, Molloy EJ. J Perinatol. 2025; doi:10.1038/s41372-025- 02486-9.
  18. Cytokine dysregulation in children with severe neurological impairment correlates with signif­icant clinical outcomes. Allen J, Isaza-Correa J, Kelly L, Melo A, Power C, Mahony A, McDonald D, Molloy EJ. Front Pediatr. 2025;13:1567221. doi:10.3389/fped.2025.1567221.
  19. Early immune modulation in cerebral palsy medical management of cerebral palsy series. Molloy EJ. Pediatr Res. 2025;doi:10.1038/s41390-025-03798-4.
  20. Experiences of health services for adults with cerebral palsy, their support people, and service providers. Manikandan M, Kerr C, Fortune J, Walsh M, Ryan J, Walsh A. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2025;67(2):225-244. doi:10.1111/dmcn.16037.
  21. CP-EXCEL: A feasibility randomised controlled trial of an online exercise programme for adults with cerebral palsy. Manikandan M, Hunter-Graham P, McGahey A, Creeger M, Walters R, Walsh A…Ryan J. HRB Open Res. 2025;8:85. doi:10.12688/hrbopenres.14150.1.
  22. A motor learning-based intervention for lower extremities (MOBILE) to target walking perfor­mance in ambulant children with cerebral palsy: A feasibility study. O’Shaughnessy C, McCar­thy R, Minehane D, Ryan JM, Malone A. HRB Open Res. 2025;8:46. doi:10.12688/hrbopenres.14101.1.
  23. Health state utility values in children and adolescents with disabilities: A systematic re­view. Kanya L, Anokye N, Alani AH, Jayakumar N, Ryan JM. J Pediatr Clin Pract. 2025;15:200139. doi:10.1016/j.jpedcp.2025.200139.
  24. Pain in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review. Ryan JM, Burke J, Byrne R, Capellari E, Harvey A, O’Connell NE, Omichinski D, Rodby-Bousquet E, Peterson M; Adult CP Clinical Practice Guideline Working Group. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2025;00:1-21. doi:10.1111/dmcn.16254.
  25. Transition from child to adult health services for young people with cerebral palsy in Ireland: Implications from a mixed-methods study. Ryan JM, Norris M, Walsh A, Breen A, Hensey O, Kerr C, Koppe S, Lavelle G, Owens M, Walsh M, Kroll T, Fortune J. HRB Open Res. 2025;7:47. doi: 10.12688/ hrbopenres.13912.2.
  26. Healthcare and recreational sector collaboration strategies to support community-based physical activity participation among young people with childhood-onset physical disabili­ty: A scoping review protocol. Brady K, Cooper A, Malone A, Shields N, Ryan JM. HRB Open Res. 2025;7:57. doi:10.12688/hrbopenres.13961.2.
  27. 2024 Advances in Electroencephalographic Biomarkers of Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalop­athy. Proietti J, O’Toole JM, Murray DM, Boylan GB. Clin Perinatol. 2024;51(3):649-663. doi: 10.1016/j. clp.2024.04.006.
  28. Temporal evolution of electrographic seizures in newborn infants with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy requiring therapeutic hypothermia: a secondary analysis of the ANSeR stud­ies. Pavel AM, Rennie JM, de Vries LS, Mathieson SR, Livingstone V, Finder M, Foran A, Shah DK, Pressler RM, Weeke LC, Dempsey EM, Murray DM, Boylan GB; ANSeR Consortium. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024;8(3):214-224. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(23)00296-1.
  29. Predicting low cognitive ability at age 5 years using perinatal data and machine learning. Bowe AK, Lightbody G, O’Boyle DS, Staines A, Murray DM. Pediatr Res. 2024;95(6):1634-1643. doi: 10.1038/s41390-023-02914-6.
  30. Severe neurological impairment and immune function: altered neutrophils, monocytes, T lymphocytes, and inflammasome activation. Allen J, Isaza-Correa J, Kelly L, Melo A, Mahony A, McDonald D, Molloy EJ. Pediatr Res. 2024;95(6):1611-1616. doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03023-8.
  31. Ageing well with a lifelong disability: A scoping review. Smith KJ, Gupta S, Fortune J, Lowton S, Victor C, Burke E, Carew M, Livingstone E, Creeger M, Shanahan P, Walsh M, Ryan JM. Gerontolo­gist. 2024;64(9):gnae092. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnae092.
  32. Identifying the top 10 priorities of adolescents with a physical disability regarding participation in physical activity: A Delphi study. Brady K, Cleary R, O’Gorman E, McDonough S, Kerr C, Kiernan D, McConkey E, Ryan J, Malone A. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2024. doi:10.1111/dmcn.15986.
  33. Understanding the use of digital technologies to provide disability services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multiple case study design. Fortune J, Manikandan M, Harrington S, Hensey O, Kerr C, Koppe S, Kroll T, Lavelle G, Long S, MacLachlan M, Nolan D, Norris M, O’Reilly J, Owens M, Walsh A, Walsh M, Ryan JM. BMC Health Serv Res. 2024;24:323.
  34. Transition from child to adult services for young people with cerebral palsy in Ireland: Influenc­ing factors at multiple ecological levels. Fortune J, Ryan JM, Walsh A, et al. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2024;66(5):623-634. doi:10.1111/dmcn.15778.
  35. Acceptability of a progressive resistance training programme for ambulatory adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy in England: A qualitative study. Ryan JM, Kilbride C, Noorkoiv M, Theis N, Shortland A, Levin W, Lavelle G. Disabil Rehabil. 2024;46(9):1832-1840.
  36. Mapping health services for adults with cerebral palsy in Ireland: A pilot study. Manikandan M, Cassidy E, Cook G, Kilbride C, Kerr C, Walsh A, Walsh M, Ryan JM. HRB Open Res. 2024
  37. 2023 Prediction of 2-Year Cognitive Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants Using Machine Learn­ing Methods. Bowe AK, Lightbody G, Staines A, Murray DM, Norman M. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(12):e2349111. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.49111.
  38. Neurodevelopmental outcome of low-risk moderate to late preterm infants at 18 months. Ryan MA, Murray DM, Dempsey EM, Mathieson SR, Livingstone V, Boylan GB. Front Pediatr. 2023;11:1256872. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1256872.
  39. Neonatal encephalopathy and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: moving from controver­sy to consensus definitions and subclassification. Molloy EJ, Branagan A, Hurley T, Quirke F, Devane D, Taneri PE, El-Dib M, Bloomfield FH, Maeso B, Pilon B, Bonifacio SL, Wusthoff CJ, Cha­lak L, Bearer C, Murray DM, Badawi N, Campbell S, Mulkey S, Gressens P, Ferriero DM, de Vries LS, Walker K, Kay S, Boylan GB, Gale C, Robertson NJ, D’Alton M, Gunn A, Nelson KB. Pediatr Res. 2023;94(6):1860-1863. doi:10.1038/s41390-023-02775-z.
  40. Prevalence and incidence of chronic conditions among adults with cerebral palsy: A sys­tematic review and meta-analysis. Ryan JM, Albairami F, Hamilton T, Cope N, Amirmudin NA, Manikandan M, Kilbride C, Stevenson VL, Livingstone E, Fortune J. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2023 Sep;65(9):1174-1189.
  41. Access, use and satisfaction with physiotherapy services among adults with cerebral palsy living in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Manikandan M, Cassidy E, Cook G, Kilbride C, Kerr C, Walsh A, Walsh M, Ryan JM. Disabil Rehabil. 2023 Jun 19;45(13):2160-2168.
  42. Transition to adult services experienced by young people with cerebral palsy: A cross-sectional study. Ryan JM, Walsh M, Owens M, Byrne M, Kroll T, Hensey O, Kerr C, Norris M, Walsh A, Lavelle G, Fortune J. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2023 Feb;65(2):285-293.