Research Profile of the PNP-MIND Group
The research group PNP-MIND
(Perinatal Neonatal Pediatric Intensive Care – Machine Learning – Intensive Care – Neurodevelopment – Demographics) focuses on translational research at the intersection of neonatal and pediatric intensive care, neurodevelopmental science, and data-driven modeling.
PNP-Mind goals
Our work centers on investigating the long-term neurological, cognitive, and somatic outcomes of children with a history of intensive care. We utilize retrospective and prospective cohorts, standardized clinical data sets, and structured follow-up assessments, which are analyzed using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) methods.
The aim is to identify critical developmental phases, recognize risk factors early, and develop evidence-based predictive models that can be applied in clinical practice. Insights from these analyses are directly integrated into clinical guidelines and medical education curricula.
Current research priorities include
NeoNEVS (NEOnatal NEuro-cerebral Volume ASessment): which investigates early postnatal brain volume growth via cranial ultrasound and its relevance for long-term neurocognitive outcomes in preterm infants
NEOGAIN (Nortase Enzyme Optimization for Growth in At-risk Infants with Nutritional deficits): Analyses of the impact of enteral nutrition and pancreatic enzyme supplementation on postnatal growth in extremely preterm infants;
VANOKI (Vaskulärer Notfallzugang in der neonatalen Erstversorgung – Kanülierung der Nabelvene vs. Intraossäre Kanüle): A prospective bench study comparing the functionality and feasibility of intraosseous versus umbilical venous access in neonatal resuscitation scenarios;
TelEmergencyBaby: The implementation and evaluation of telemedicine approaches to enhance acute and follow-up care in neonatal intensive care medicine.
PROMISE (Preterm Rupture Outcomes: Maternal, Inflammatory, and Sonographic Evaluation): This study investigates how maternal, sonographic, and inflammatory factors predict neonatal respiratory outcomes and mortality following second-trimester preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM).
NeoRISC (Neonatal RIsc StratifiCation): AI-driven clinical decision support project that uses longitudinal NICU data from extremely preterm infants to predict major neonatal morbidities, enabling earlier interventions and personalised care.
Publications
| 06.2026 | Maternal and Neonatal Determinants of Respiratory Outcome Following Second-Trimester PPROM: A Multi-Domain Machine Learning Analysis Diagnostics DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics16121911 Loth, S.; …; Bieber, A,; Brickmann, C.; |
| 06.2026 | Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants: An Exploratory Multivariable Analysis Including Sonographic Brain Volume Trajectories—Data from the NeoNEVS Project Children DOI: 10.3390/children13060815 Loth, S.; …; Bieber, A,; Brickmann, C.; |
| 04.2026 | Critical congenital heart defects outside a paediatric cardiology center – combined expertise and resources from a cohort study BMC Pediatrics DOI: 10.1186/s12887-026-06887-3 Brickmann, C.; … Dammert, A. |
| 04.2026 | Identification of risk factors of cystic periventricular leukomalacia in preterm infants Frontiers in Pediatrics; DOI: 10.3389/fped.2026.1758972 Lampe, R.; … Sidorenko, I.; … Brickmann, C. |
| 04.2026 | The Relationship Between Sonographically Assessed Volumetric Brain Development in VLBW Preterm Infants and Neurodevelopmental Outcome at 2 Years of Age – Data from the NeoNEVS Project Frontiers in Pediatrics; DOI: 10.3389/fped.2026.1769403 Brickmann C; … Krüger M; … Loth, S.; |
| 04.2026 | PROMISE – Impact of Maternal and Neonatal Risk Factors on the Respiratory Outcome of Extremely Preterm Infants Following PPROM in the second trimester of pregnancy Frontiers in Pediatrics; DOI:10.3389/fped.2026.1776970 Brickmann C; … Loth, S.; … Krüger M; |
| 03.2026 | Pediatric Intensive Core Outcomes – a modified Delphi consensus process (PIC-CO). Critical Care; DOI: 10.1186/s13054-026-05878-1 Mand, N.; … Brickmann, C.*; Bruns, N.* |
| 02.2026 | NEOnatal NEuro-cerebral Volume ASessment (NeoNEVS): Sonographically Assessed Volumetric Brain Development in Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants and its Clinical Determinants. Children DOI: 10.3390/children13020281 Brickmann, Christian; Lampe, Renée, … Sidorenko, Irina; … Loth, Simon |
| 08.2025 | Development of a standardized handover for critically ill premature and newborn infants for interhospital transport in Bavaria Zeitschrift für Geburtshilfe und Neonatologie; DOI: 10.1055/a-2659-7541 Wolff, J.; … Brickmann, C.; … Wellmann, S. |
| 07.2025 | Numerical estimation of optimal limits of cerebral blood flow and oxygen partial pressure in brain tissue of preterm infants Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine; DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2025.108984 Sidorenko, I.; … Brickmann, C.; … Lampe, R.; |
| 05.2025 | Teaching Neonatal Emergency Umbilical Venous Access to Untrained Medical Staff: A Pilot Study Using Video Instruction and Real Umbilical Cords Advances in Medical Education and Practice; DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S516071 Brickmann C; … Hentschel, R; |
| 01.2025 | Learning and working on an interprofessional training ward in neonatology improves interprofessional competencies Frontiers in Medicine DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1483551 Schwarz, H.; Straub, C.; … Brickmann C; … Krüger M; |
| 06.2024 | Neonatal therapy after maternal central neurotropic drug exposure – a retrospective cohort study Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2024.2356038 Wecker S; Dammert AS; Scholz C; Krüger M; Hauer J; Brickmann C; |
| 12.2020 | Emergency button cannula vs. umbilical catheter as neonatal emergency umbilical vein access – a randomized cross-over pilot study Journal of Perinatal Medicine DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2022-0071 Brickmann, C.; Zang, F.; Klotz, D.; Kunze, M.; Lenz, S.; Hentschel, R |
The Research Group
Responsible members are neonatologist and pediatric intensive care physician Dr. Christian Brickmann and psychologist M.Sc. Simon Loth. Our research group collaborates closely with the Research Unit of the Buhl-Strohmaier Foundation for Pediatric Neuroorthopedics and Cerebral Palsy (Markus Würth Endowed Professorship, Prof. Dr. Renée Lampe) and the TEMPiS Center at München Klinik, enabling a wide-ranging, interdisciplinary research approach from acute care to long-term outcomes.
We are committed to advancing data-based, predictive, and individualized care for vulnerable pediatric patient populations through tight integration of clinical practice, healthcare structures, and academic research.
Christian Brickmann
Dr. Christian Brickmann studied medicine at Philipps University of Marburg and has worked at university hospitals in Marburg and Freiburg throughout his career. He is a pediatrician, neonatologist, and specialist in pediatric intensive care medicine. Currently, he combines his clinical work as an attending physician at München Klinik with research at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). His research addresses epidemiological and practical aspects of neonatology, with a recent emphasis on integrating digital tools into clinical practice. He regularly presents his findings at national and international conferences and is an appointed member of the Ethics Committee of the Technical University of Munich.
Simon Loth
Simon Loth holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Psychology from PFH Göttingen (2024, 2025) and is currently studying Medicine. He is a shareholder in a company providing advanced out-of-hospital emergency medicine training for professional medical personnel. His research focuses on the application of digital technologies to questions in neurodevelopment, aiming to connect cognitive science with practical healthcare solutions. He has presented his work at national and international conferences.
Alexander Bieber
Alexander Bieber studied Microsystems Engineering, graduating with a German Diplom degree. In the early 2000s, he transitioned into entrepreneurship, founding a software services company where he served as CEO until the mid-2010s. Since 2013, he has brought this combined technical and leadership expertise to enterprise environments, working as a technical project manager and software solution architect. His current focus centers on designing scalable software architectures, integrating complex system solutions including machine learning programming and leading technical projects from conception to deployment.
Moritz Ortmann
Moritz Ortmann studied medicine at LMU Munich and currently works as resident physician in the Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine at München Klinik. He has many years of experience in preclinical emergency care, international repatriation services, and is an AHA instructor in PALS and ACLS courses. His research focuses on improving initial care for premature and newborn babies, particularly with regard to intravascular access routes.