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New MILC research: Human milk oligosaccharides are associated with maternal genetics and respiratory health

9/24/2024

 
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Photo credit: Nature Communications
THRiVE Director Dr. Meghan Azad, along with former THRiVE postdoc Dr. Kozeta Miliku and the CHILD Study team, published Human milk oligosaccharides are associated with maternal genetics and respiratory health of human milk-fed children in the Nature Communications. This paper explores the mother-milk-infant "triad" that has evolved to protect and nourish babies, and how HMO's are produced during lactation along with the genes that drive the process. The project was a collaboration with Dr. Lars Bode at UC San Diego and Dr. Qingling Duan at Queen's University. Tweetorial

MILC director interviewed by The Economist

9/13/2024

 
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Imagine credit: The Economist
MILC Director Dr. Meghan Azad was interviewed by the Economist for a piece titled: Breast milk's benefits are not limited to babies. The article provides a deep dive into cutting edge research in milk science.

MILC summer student presents at CHRIM research rounds

9/3/2024

 
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Rowan Shwaluk, a MILC summer student, showcased her research project titled “Understanding the Predictors of Human Milk Composition Variation with an Observational Approach” at the CHRIM Summer Research Rounds on August 27th, 2024. Her project analyzed data from The International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium. Congratulations to Rowan for delivering an engaging and insightful presentation!

MILC hosts Reddit AMA for World Breastfeeding Week

8/16/2024

 
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Credit: promotional graphic created by MILC and shared on Reddit. Personal selfies shared by event collaborators on X (Twitter). From left to right: Ryan Pace, Meghan Azad, and Bridget McGann.
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, THRiVE and MILC teamed up with the “r/AskScience, forum on Reddit to host an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session with lactation researchers hailing from the fields of biochemistry, epidemiology, microbiology, neonatology, family medicine, nursing, epigenetics, and biological anthropology. This was a valuable opportunity to take a step back from our day-to-day work and get a snapshot of what the general public is thinking and wondering about breast milk and lactation. Our expert panelists were impressed with how thoughtful and informed the Redditors’ questions were (over 90 in total!) - ranging from lactation pharmacology, antibodies in donor milk and risks/benefits of formula, to infant feeding controversies, lactation-related misinformation, and trans lactation... and much more! This AMA Session was part of our knowledge mobilization efforts at MILC & THRiVE recognizing that public science engagement is a crucial strategy for combating misinformation, increasing interest and accessibility to careers in science, and increasing public support for research funding as well as for public policies that improve reproductive and child health.
The participants were:
  • Meghan Azad, PhD - Director of THRiVE & MILC
  • Bridget McGann - Biological Anthropologist & Knowledge Translation Consultant at THRiVE & MILC
  • Karinne Cardoso Muniz, MD - Neonatologist & MSc Student at THRiVE & MILC
  • Christina Raimondi, MD, IBCLC, NABBLM-C - MILC member & Co-Founder/CEO at the Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre
  • Sanoji Wijenayake, PhD - MILC member & Assistant Professor at University of Winnipeg
  • Ryan Pace, PhD - Assistant Director of the Biobehavioral Lab at the Health Microbiomes Institute, University of South Florida
  • Emma Bhakuni - Neonatal Clinical Support Worker, NHS Foundation Trust in the UK
  • Raha Afshariani, MD, IBCLC - Canadian Lactation Consultant Association

New MILC research commentary: Human milk composition and infant anthropometrics

7/2/2024

 
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Credit: International Breastfeeding Journal
​MILC Director Dr. Meghan Azad, together with former MILC postdocs Dr. Sarah Reyes and Dr. Merilee Brockway, published Human milk composition and infant anthropometrics: overview of a systemic review with clinical and research implications in the International Breastfeeding Journal. In this overview of a large systematic review undertaken by the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium, the authors emphasize the limited quality of evidence on the relationship between human milk composition and infant growth. They recommend future research should engage in more accurate data collection using standardized collection strategies, use assays that are validated for human milk, and consider approaches that approach human milk as a biological system rather than discrete individual components. (edited) ​

MILC director featured on BIOMES podcast

6/24/2024

 
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Photo credit: Biomes, Dr. Ruairi Robertson
MILC Director Dr. Meghan Azad was featured on the BIOMES podcast hosted by Dr. Ruairi Robertson. She discusses her research on human milk and how it impacts the infant gut microbiome. You can watch or listen here: YouTube, Spotify

MILC director featured as keynote speaker at Baby-Friendly Initiative Ontario virtual expo

5/23/2024

 
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Keynote session by Dr. Meghan Azad. Credits: Baby-Friendly Initiative Ontario.
MILC Director Dr. Meghan Azad was the keynote speaker at the "Virtual BFI Expo 2024" hosted by Baby-Friendly Initiative Ontario and attended by healthcare professionals and parents. Her talk focused on Breast(milk) Feeding and Immune Development: Overview & Evidence from the CHILD Cohort. Read more about the event here.

Media coverage of Dr. Azad's Gairdner Award

4/29/2024

 
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Dr. Meghan Azad in conversation with Maralee Caruso. Credit: CTV News
MILC Director Dr. Meghan Azad was recently awarded the prestigious 2024 Canada Garidner Momentum Award and connected with several media outlets to discuss this exciting recognition of our breastmilk research. Read and watch the interviews: Globe and Mail, CTV Winnipeg, Winnipeg Free Press

Dr. Meghan Azad receives prestigious 2024 Canada Gairdner Award

4/11/2024

 
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2024 Gairdner Awards recipients. Credit: Gairdner Foundation
The 2024 Canada Gairdner Momentum Award is an initiative of The Gairdner Foundation, recognizing some of the world’s most significant biomedical and global health research and discoveries. Laureates are mid-career investigators recognized for exceptional scientific research contributions with continued potential for impact on human health. MILC Director Dr. Meghan Azad is a recipient this year "for research on understanding how human breast milk contributes to shaping the infant microbiome and lifelong health." The award recognizes more than a decade of collaborative research involving partners across Canada and around the world. A virtual announcement was held today, and a week of celebrations will be held later this year. Read more from UM Today or watch the profile video from the Gairdner Foundation.

MILC featured in UM five-year strategic plan

4/10/2024

 
On April 4, the new five-year Strategic Plan for the University of Manitoba was launched. Attendees at the launch party had the opportunity to engage with diverse research initiatives. The THRiVE Discovery Lab and MILC were invited to showcase our collaborative research platform. MILC member, Carol Dyck, as well as THRiVE students, Narges Khodabandehloo and Sarah Turner, hosted a booth to promote our research program and breastfeeding support initiatives to the wider UM community. For more information about the new strategic plan, please click here.   
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