Exploring birth-related brain injury through a health systems lens

Pallavi Muraleedharan BSN, MHA

I obtained my BSc in Nursing from the University of Calicut, Kerala and my postgraduate degree in Health Administration from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Subsequently, I went on to work with the Public Health Foundation of India, Delhi for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) study as a Senior Research Assistant and later as a Research Officer for a third sector organization that worked to improve the health of tribal communities in South India.  It was in 2019 that I had the opportunity to join the team led by Prof Sudhin Thayyil, as a Project Manager for the NIHR-funded study, Prevention of Epilepsy by reducing Neonatal Encephalopathy (PREVENT) based in Bangalore.

Being part of the PREVENT study, I got introduced to an inspiring and passionate team of academicians, researchers and clinicians working to improve the health of babies, more specifically in the area of birth-related brain injury in India and across the globe. Given the complex aetiology of neonatal encephalopathy, I learnt that it was imperative to approach this issue from different perspectives. With my background in public health, I was drawn towards exploring the health systems factors that may be associated with birth-related brain injury and decided to undertake a PhD in this area using a mixed-methods approach, under the mentorship of Prof Thayyil. One of the initial steps I took towards this goal was to secure the NIHR Global Health Research Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC), to develop my skills in both clinical neuroprotection, public health and health systems aspects of perinatal brain injury.

Following my PhD, I intend to do post-doctoral fellowships and my long-term goal is to research in the area of health services, with a focus on maternal and neonatal health, both in India and other low- and middle-income countries.