Around one in every 5,000 babies is born with a serious heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). They all need a series of lifesaving operations during the first few years of life. The severity of HLHS varies and it’s not clear which surgical technique works best in each situation, for each individual baby.

By developing better ways to predict how each baby will respond to surgery doctors can plan the best approach and personalised treatment for them, improving babies’ chances of surviving and enjoying the best possible quality of life.