
Following the success of ABC + NCT 2025 in Noosa, ABC will be running the 2026 event in Adelaide at the National Wine Centre of Australia.
15-16 October 2026
Registration is available for the full 2-day event or either single day.
Registration Open & Morning Tea
Acknowledgment of Country & Welcome
Professor Alastair Gunn Memorial Lecture
Prevention Without Borders: Cerebral Palsy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
From Cot to Code: Technology and Parent Partnerships for Early Motor Screening
Early cerebral palsy screening using Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Update on evidence based Early Detection and Early Intervention for infants at high risk of Cerebral Palsy and adverse Neurodevelopment: What should we be doing ?
Saving Brains, Shaping Futures: Advances and Unmet Needs in High Risk Infants
‘Seeing’ the fetal brain: Using MRI to characterise fetal brain growth in preclinical models
Multichannel video EEG in Australian NICUs
Impact of thermal stress on incidence and severity of intraventricular haemorrhage after preterm birth or with very low birth weight.
Save Sight Retinopathy of Prematurity registry and Neurodevelopment
Reduced trajectory of neurodevelopment associated with fetal growth restriction
Protecting the growth-restricted brain with melatonin
When the Placenta Ages Too Soon: Circular RNAs and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
A new approach to modelling infection-induced inflammation and brain injury using bacterial extracellular vesicles in preterm fetal sheep
Endoscopic lavage for post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus of prematurity
Cerebral Palsy and Oxygen Diffusion Kinetics: A modifiable vulnerability
An update on studies of anakinra (IL-1Ra) to protect the perinatal brain
Should we be including midline head positioning in IVH prevention bundles?
Post-Haemorrhagic Ventricular Dilatation in the Preterm Infant: A Survey of Clinical Practice in Australia and New Zealand
hAEC-EVs are Physiologically Tolerated in a Fetal Sheep Model of Chorioamnionitis-Associated Preterm Brain Injury
Persistent Childhood Peer Relationship Difficulties and Adolescent Social Adjustment Following Very Preterm Birth
Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist attenuates neuroinflammation in respiratory centers following lipopolysaccharide exposure in preterm fetal sheep.
Intranasal Breast Milk Therapy for Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy
Treatment of mild hypoxic-ischemic brain injury – is therapeutic hypothermia the best option?
Neurological outcomes of resuscitation - critical but poorly understood
Effect of neonatal body composition on brain growth and neurodevelopmental outcome: A Systematic review
Neurodevelopment in Small-for-Gestational-Age Preterm Infants: Distinguishing the Impact of Birthweight and Gestational Age in a Cohort Study
Brain damage or Maldevelopment; Redefining Etiology of Cerebral Palsy Using GenOmics
The impact of gestational age at birth on developmental vulnerability at school entry in South Australia: a whole-of-population data linkage project
What does the data from Aotearoa New Zealand show us?
Best EMCR Abstract Presentation, Questions & Close

Terrie Inder is dual trained in neonatology and child neurology and provides specialised care for critically ill premature and full‑term infants at CHOC in Orange County, California.

Ünőke Méder, MD, PhD, is a Consultant Neonatologist and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Department of Neonatology, Pediatric Centre, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.

Kristian Aquilina is a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, UK, where he is the neurosurgical lead for neuro-oncology and specialty lead for the service.

Dr Amanda Kwong is a paediatric physiotherapist and postdoctoral researcher specialising in digital early‑detection tools for cerebral palsy. She co‑pioneered the internationally used Baby Moves app and advances accessible neurodevelopmental screening. Based at the University of Melbourne, MCRI and the Royal Women’s Hospital, she works to improve outcomes for at‑risk infants.

Dr Amanda Poprzeczny is an obstetrician and maternal‑fetal medicine specialist at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and a clinical academic at the University of Adelaide. Her research examines how maternal health shapes pregnancy outcomes and preterm birth, focusing on fetal growth restriction and leading clinical trials to improve care for women at risk.

Dr Anya Arthurs is a Research Fellow at Flinders University investigating how circular and other non‑coding RNAs regulate placental development and pregnancy complications. She specialises in patient‑derived, genetically edited placental organoids to model disease, aiming to advance diagnostics and therapies. Her work has featured in nati
Dr Anya Arthurs is a Research Fellow at Flinders University investigating how circular and other non‑coding RNAs regulate placental development and pregnancy complications. She specialises in patient‑derived, genetically edited placental organoids to model disease, aiming to advance diagnostics and therapies. Her work has featured in national and international media.providers stay up-to-date with the latest medical advancements and techniques.

Dr Elyse Passmore is a biomedical engineer and senior researcher at MCRI, specialising in early cerebral palsy detection. She leads AI‑enabled tools such as automated General Movements Assessment and serves as Head Engineer of the RCH Gait Analysis Laboratory, advancing scalable digital health and multisite machine‑learning infrastructure.

Associate Professor Joanne Davidson is a researcher at the University of Auckland studying how perinatal insults such as hypoxia‑ischaemia and infection cause brain injury. She integrates molecular studies with large animal physiology to develop neuroprotective strategies, including pioneering work on connexin‑43 hemichannels. Research is funded by major New Zealand agencies.

Professor Jozef Gecz leads the Neurogenetics Research Program at the University of Adelaide, identifying genes underlying intellectual disability, autism, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. His team has contributed to discovering over 350 disease genes, revealing key pathways in brain development. His current work focuses on interpreting genetic variation using advanced cellular and genomic models.

Professor Nadia Badawi AM is a neonatologist and global leader in cerebral palsy and newborn encephalopathy. As Australia’s first Chair of Cerebral Palsy, she leads the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute, driving prevention and treatment advances, major research collaborations and national and international CP registers that have helped reduce cerebral palsy rates.

Dr Robert Galinsky is a fetal physiologist specialising in developmental neuroscience, investigating how perinatal insults disrupt brain development. His team integrates preclinical models, biomedical engineering and biomolecular analyses to identify molecular signatures of injury and discover biomarkers that guide targeted neuroprotective treatments for vulnerable newborns.

Professor Roslyn Boyd is Professor of Cerebral Palsy Research at the University of Queensland, leading multidisciplinary research in early detection of large cohorts (n>1200), intervention and rehabilitation (>17 RCTs) for infants children with cerebral palsy. A physiotherapist with a neuroscience PhD, she integrates advanced brain imagin
Professor Roslyn Boyd is Professor of Cerebral Palsy Research at the University of Queensland, leading multidisciplinary research in early detection of large cohorts (n>1200), intervention and rehabilitation (>17 RCTs) for infants children with cerebral palsy. A physiotherapist with a neuroscience PhD, she integrates advanced brain imaging to study neuroplasticity and has published extensively with major national and international research funding.

Dr Tegan White is a postdoctoral researcher at The Ritchie Centre, Monash University, studying how pregnancy complications affect fetal brain development, particularly fetal growth restriction. Using innovative preclinical models, she investigates therapies to protect and repair the developing brain and has been recognised with national and international awards for her research.

Dr Traci-Anne Goyen is an experienced neonatal occupational therapist at Westmead Hospital and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at The University of Sydney. Her research focuses on improving neurodevelopment in preterm infants, contributing to national guidelines and leading an RCT on preventing neonatal brain injury. She is widely recognised for her clinical and research excellence

Professor Malcolm Battin is a neonatologist at Auckland City Hospital & an Honorary Professor at University of Auckland. He specialises in neonatal neurological injury, with a particular focus on neonatal encephalopathy in term infants. Since 2008, he has served PMMRC Neonatal Encephalopathy Working Group, contributing to national research, clinical guidance & quality improvement in newborn care.

Professor Helen Liley is a neonatologist and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Mater Research, co‑chairing the Critical Care of At‑Risk Newborns Group. Her clinical research focuses on improving resuscitation and reducing brain injury in newborns, including leading the NHMRC‑funded PAEAN trial and multiple multicentre neonatal studies.

Dr Chad Andersen a Consultant Neonatologist at the Women’s & Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, & researcher with the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide. His clinical and research interests focus on the physiology of very preterm infants, including oxygen transport, haemoglobin optimisation, respiratory support, and the
Dr Chad Andersen a Consultant Neonatologist at the Women’s & Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, & researcher with the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide. His clinical and research interests focus on the physiology of very preterm infants, including oxygen transport, haemoglobin optimisation, respiratory support, and the design of clinical trials in neonatal medicine. Current work explores mechanisms of cerebral vulnerability & strategies to improve long-term outcomes for extremely preterm infants.

Professor Janna Morrison is Deputy Director of Health and Biomedical Innovation at Adelaide University and Head of the Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group. An internationally recognised developmental physiologist, she investigates how fetal growth shapes lifelong health and has published more than 265 peer-reviewed papers.

The National Wine Centre of Australia, located in Adelaide is a world-renowned attraction that offers a unique and memorable experience for wine enthusiasts, industry professionals, and tourists alike. Offering an extensive selection of food and wine experiences that cater to all levels of wine enthusiasts. With its state-of-the-art Conference Centre in Adelaide, it's the perfect venue for hosting corporate events, conferences, and social gatherings.
The Australasian Brain Club have secured discounted accommodation for the 2026 Conference, at Crowne Plaza in the Adelaide CBD.
October 15 - 16 for 2 days
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1. Enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at University AND not be working full-time
2. Enrolled in an Honors, Masters or PhD AND not be working full time
15th or 16th
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1. Enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at University AND not be working full-time
2. Enrolled in an Honors, Masters or PhD AND not be working full time
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