The MILC Research Group

​Meghan Azad, PhD | MILC co-Director
​Human Milk and Pediatric Epidemiology
Dr. Azad is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba and holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Developmental Origins of Chronic Disease. Her research program is focused on the role of infant nutrition and the microbiome in child growth, development and resilience. Dr. Azad is leading a clinical trial to improve matching procedures for preterm neonates receiving donor human milk, and directs the new International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium. Dr. Azad also serves as Secretary for The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML) and as an Expert Member on the NIH Breastmilk Ecology: Genesis of Infant Nutrition (BEGIN) Working Group.  

​Key Publications:
  • Report: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Scanning for new evidence on the nutrient content of human milk: A process model for determining age-specific nutrient requirements. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: org/10.17226/25943. ISBN: 978-0-309-68347-0. 
  • Azad MB, Nickel NC, Bode L, Brockway M, Brown A, Chambers C, Goldhammer C, Hinde K, McGuire M, Munblit D, Patel AL, Pérez-Escamilla R, Rasmussen KM, Shenker N, Young BE, Zuccolo L. Breastfeeding and the origins of health: Interdisciplinary perspectives and priorities. Matern Child Nutr. 2021 Apr;17(2):e13109. doi: 10.1111/mcn.13109. PMID: 33210456.
Nathan Nickel, PhD | MILC co-Director
Public Health and Causal Inference Statistics
Dr. Nickel is an Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba, and the Associate Director overseeing Deliverables at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP). As a population health scientist, he uses administrative data to conduct policy-focused health outcomes research as well as research into the organization of the healthcare system. Much of his research is done in partnership with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit organizations in Manitoba. Dr. Nickel is the Scientific Chair for the Breastfeeding Forum of the American Public Health Association, and the Research & Evaluation Lead for the National Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) Quality Improvement (QI) Collaborative Project​. 

Key Publications:
  • Nickel NC, Martens PJ, Chateau D, Brownell MD, Sarkar J, Goh CY, Burland E, Taylor C, Katz A; Paths Equity Team. Have we left some behind? Trends in socio-economic inequalities in breastfeeding initiation: a population-based epidemiological surveillance study. Can J Public Health. 2014 Jul. 105(5):e362-8. doi: 10.17269/cjph.105.4499. PMID: 25365271.
  • Paul JA, Chateau J, Green C, Warda L, Heaman M, Katz A, Perchuk C, Larocque L, Lee JB, Nickel NC. Evaluating the Manitoba Infant Feeding Database: a Canadian infant feeding surveillance system. Can J Public Health. 2019 Oct. 110(5):649-656. doi: 10.17269/s41997-019-00211-6. PMID: 31102235.
Natalie Rodriguez, MBA, ACC | MILC Operations Director
Operations, Strategy and Logistics
In an acclaimed career of truly transformative and translational work, Natalie Rodriguez has implemented new systems, technologies, platforms, initiatives and discovery worldwide.  A myriad of credentials, awards, appointments and certifications reflect her fierce commitment to research and ongoing learning by defying boundaries and improving the lives of children and their families. Natalie Co-Directs the new International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium, her current projects focus on global health, maternal & infant nutrition, and human milk composition. 
Kelsey Fehr, MSc | MILC Biorepository Technician
Lab Management and Sample Analysis
Kelsey is a Research Assistant for the Azad Lab at the University of Manitoba. She specialises in microbiome research and is interested in the relationship between microbial ecology, early-life nutritional and environmental factors, and healthy development. Kelsey manages the sample database and laboratory activities at the MILC Biorepository, including milk macronutrient analysis using a Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR) analyzer, and leads the sub-aliquoting and distribution of milk for the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium.
Nicole Fiorentino, MSc | MILC Club Coordinator
Communications and Coordination
Nicole is a Project Coordinator for the Azad Lab at the University of Manitoba. She specialises in organizational planning, process improvement, and capacity building in international research. Her current projects focus on global health and maternal & infant nutrition. Nicole coordinates the monthly MILC Club meetings and leads the MILC website development. 
More team member profiles coming soon!