 MILC Club member Dr. Christina Raimondi has been awarded the 2025 Reproductive Health Award by the Federation of Medical Women of Canada (FMWC). The FMWC is a national organization dedicated to advancing women physicians professionally, socially, and personally, and to promoting the well-being of women in medicine and society. This annual award recognizes the full member who has made the most significant contributions to the field of reproductive health. Congratulations to Dr. Raimondi on this remarkable honour!
 We're excited to share that MILC Club member Dr. Sanoji Wijenayake co-authored an article published in Molecular Psychiatry. Molecular signals in breast milk play a key role in shaping a baby’s brain development. The research team studied “milk-derived extracellular vesicles (MEVs),” tiny fat bubbles that transport material from mother to child. In rats, milk from mothers in low stress environments had different MEV cargo than milk from mothers in stressful environments, a change also evident in the rat baby’s hippocampus during nursing and later life. These findings suggest maternal environments and breastfeeding interventions can influence milk’s molecular signals and support healthy development.
 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has nominated MILC for the Governor General’s Innovation Awards, recognizing MILC as a leading Canadian innovation in human milk science and health systems. This nomination highlights the contributions across research, clinical care, and community partnerships, including the MILC Study and Biorepository; collaborations with the Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre, Youville Community Health Centre, and the Manitoba Lactation & Breastfeeding Support Network; the IMiC Consortium and expanding international network; and community programs such as Milk Mentors and the Free Pump Loan initiative. While many of MILC's significant impacts are still ahead, this honour reflects the collective efforts of investigators, trainees, staff, clinicians, and partners who have helped grow MILC from an idea into a vibrant, evolving centre.
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