The MILC Research Group

​Meghan Azad, PhD | MILC Director
​Human Milk and Pediatric Epidemiology
Dr. Azad is a Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba, where she holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Early Nutrition and the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. Her research program is focused on the role of infant nutrition and the microbiome in child growth, development and resilience. Dr. Azad co-Directs the new Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre (MILC) and leads the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium. She serves as Deputy Director of the CHILD Cohort Study, a national pregnancy cohort following 3500 children to understand how early life experiences shape lifelong health. Research in the THRiVE Discovery Lab is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the US National Institutes of Health, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Azad has previously served on the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation Executive Council and currently serves on the Advisory Board to the Canadian Breastfeeding Research Network. She also serves on the joint US/Canada Human Milk Composition Initiative. Dr. Azad is a Fellow of the CIFAR Humans and the Microbiome Program and an elected member of the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars. She received the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation Erlich-Koldovsky Early Career Investigator Award (2018) and the International Human Milk Genomics Mid-Career Investigator Award (2020). She was named among the WXN Canada Top 100 Most Powerful Women (2020) and Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 (2021), and is a recipient of the prestigious Steacie Award for Research in the Natural Sciences (2023) and Gairdner Momentum Award (2024).
Kelsey Fehr, MSc | Senior Data Analyst
Lab Management, Sample & Data Analysis
Kelsey specialized in microbiome research and is interested in the role host microbiota play in health and disease. She received her MSc in Animal Science at the University of Manitoba. Kelsey manages the sample database and labratory activities at the MILC Biorepository, and leads the sub-aliquoting and distribution of milk for the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium.  
Narges Khodabandehloo | MILC Club Coordinator
MSc Student
​Narges Khodabandehloo coordinates the monthly MILC Club meetings. She received her Bachelor of Science in Midwifery from Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2021. She is a MSc student in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba and is interested in integrating clinical practice into maternal-child health research. Her MSc project will describe the demographics and needs of lactating parents attending the Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre.
Alie Johnston | MILC Research Club Coordinator
Research Trials and Analysis
Alie holds an MSc in Human Nutritional Sciences from the University of Manitoba and has over 8 years of clinical research experience, including nutrition and drug clinical trials. Her thesis explored the acute effects of extruded pulses on glycemic response, insulin, appetite, and food intake. Additional research experience includes working on a Métis specific project with Métis community. She supports the THRiVE team with the MILC Project and enjoys building relationships with research participants. Alie is a Red River Métis citizen; some of her family names include Johnston, Brown, Thomas, and Richards
Dr. Larisa Lotoski | Senior Research Associate
Research Protocol Design and Analysis
Larisa’s primary research interests include child health and the effects of the physical and social environment on children’s health outcomes. Larisa’s interest in child health research began during her MSc (Immunology) training at the University of Manitoba where she studied severe childhood asthma and allergic disease. She holds a PhD in Community and Population Health Sciences (Community Health and Epidemiology) from the University of Saskatchewan. Her doctoral research involved the characterization of children’s sedentary time and physical activity in their lived environment.
Dr. Zahra Nouri | Biorepository Lab Technician 
Lab Management and Sample Analysis
Zahra's academic journey has taken her across continents, from China to South Korea and Canada. Her doctoral research, conducted at the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences, focused on unraveling the complexities of gut microbiota and their profound effects on immune system adaptation. Building upon this foundation, Zahra explored the fascinating correlation between oral microbiota and various cancer types during her tenure at the National Cancer Center. As a MILC Biorepository lab technician at the THRiVE Discovery Lab, Zahra manages the intricate sample database and laboratory operations. In her role, she collaborates with the research team to explore breast milk research, aiming to illuminate its significant influence on early-life gut microbiota.
More team member profiles coming soon!