FédératiOn de Recherche pour la mise en Lumière par l’Imagerie du FoEtus
Congenital anomalies affect 1% to 2% of pregnancies. Placental dysfunction also complicates 3% to 10% of pregnancies, often resulting in fetal growth retardation. All these anomalies can have a severe impact on the unborn child, with consequences well into adulthood. After rapid progress over the past 50 years, we have reached a plateau in managing these disorders.
The FHU “FOR LIFE” project is poised to transform prenatal and perinatal care by advancing imaging aimed at better screening, diagnosing, evaluating, and potentially treating fetal conditions, as well as monitoring the normal course of pregnancy. The “LUMIERE” imaging platform, based at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, was the first facility entirely devoted to imaging pregnant women and fetuses, with a dedicated MRI machine. Building on this foundation, the FOR LIFE project leverages state-of-the-art MRI and ultrasound technologies to enhance our understanding of fetal and placental development.
We will strengthen the linkage of the platform—which has already demonstrated its potential through innovative research and substantial contributions to the field—with academic teams, laboratories, and clinical services across Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) hospitals, fostering a large network of collaboration.
Our research will focus on several key areas:
- Data Integration and Standardization (WP1): Strengthen connections within the consortium and standardize data acquisition processes to facilitate the pooling of imaging and clinical data.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Infrastructure (WP1, WP8): Develop an infrastructure to analyze images in conjunction with clinical, biological, and genetic data collected through routine care, enhancing collaboration and ensuring multidisciplinary integration.
- Enhancing Diagnostic and Monitoring Tools (WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5): Improve imaging capabilities to accurately diagnose and monitor fetal conditions, using innovative tools to observe normal and pathological pregnancy courses.
- Advanced Data Analysis Techniques (WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5): Apply Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual reality, and deep learning algorithms to large datasets of images to improve usability and automated analysis.
- Innovative Screening, Diagnostic, Prognostic Methods, and Interventions (WP6): Better assess anomalies and their prognosis. Develop in utero therapeutic procedures, facilitated by advanced imaging technologies, to address prenatal conditions and improve survival and long-term health outcomes.
- Educational and Collaborative Framework (WP7): Establish training programs and networks to disseminate knowledge, share innovations, and standardize care protocols across centers.
The FOR LIFE project is designed to foster collaboration across various disciplines, bringing together clinicians, researchers, and educators. Through strategic partnerships with academic institutions and industry, and with a commitment to societal engagement, the project aims to enhance the capabilities of the scientific and medical community. It strives to make a profound and lasting impact on maternal and infant health globally.
This initiative promises to advance medical science and translate these advancements into tangible benefits for patients, positioning FOR LIFE as a leader in the field of prenatal imaging and fetal medicine.