 Credit: CHILD Cohort Study website They may be early in their careers, but Canada’s next generation of researchers is already making a significant impact in health and medicine, as highlighted in a recent Globe and Mail article. Dr. Kozeta Miliku, a former postdoctoral fellow with the THRiVE Lab, is among those leading the way. Her work, grounded in the lab’s innovative research environment, reflects the growing influence of THRiVE-trained scientists in shaping the future of biomedical discovery.
 THRiVE team members working alongside a multidisciplinary team of scientists have published the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium study protocol to better understand the complex makeup of human milk and its role in infant growth, immunity, and development. By combining expertise from nutrition, global health, and data science, the consortium aims to conduct the most comprehensive, standardized analysis of human milk to date—spanning low-, middle-, and high-resource settings—to guide new strategies for improving maternal and child health worldwide. The protocol brings together 36 authors affiliated to 33 institutions to describe the analysis of 1946 human milk samples from 1040 mother-infant dyads spanning 4 countries in 3 continents. The protocol paper is a great achievement for IMiC! Read the Tweetorial here.
 Dr. Sarah Turner (recent THRiVE PhD graduate) and colleagues have published new research using CHILD study data linked with Manitoba Government data on "school readiness" assessments at kindergarten. This research was also discussed by THRiVE's Director Dr. Meghan Azad in a video for Red River College Science of Early Childhood Development Course. This study is a great example of how research can impact education and practice! Read the Tweetorial here.
 Credit: CIFAR.ca Dr. Meghan Azad and Dr. Sarah Turner (recent THRiVE PhD graduate) co-developed a new educational module with CIFAR that examines breastmilk's essential role in microbiome development and infant health, providing nutrition and immune protection. This resource is offered completely free, and includes a video recording, slide deck, and suggested learning activities.
THRiVE Director Highlights the Unmatched Benefits of Breastfeeding for Infant Health and Development4/8/2025
 Credit: epsiloon.com In the French scientific magazine Epsiloon, the article 'Allairtement: Quels sont les bienfaits démontrés?' features Dr. Azad emphasizing the unparalleled benefits of breastfeeding, highlighting its unique ability to adapt to a baby’s changing nutritional and immune needs. Unlike formula, which remains static, breastmilk evolves to provide the right balance of nutrients and antibodies as a baby grows, offering tailored immune protection and fostering a healthy gut microbiome. While breastfeeding can present challenges, when possible, it remains the gold standard for infant nutrition, offering irreplaceable health benefits that formula cannot replicate.
 THRiVE Discovery Lab extends its heartfelt congratulations to MSc student Rowan Shwaluk on being awarded a CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship! This scholarship program aims to foster the development of advanced research skills and support the training of highly qualified personnel, recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in their undergraduate and early graduate studies. Rowan's research is exploring how human milk components relate to infant immune development. Given the highly competitive nature of these national awards, Rowan’s success is a remarkable accomplishment, and the entire lab is incredibly proud of this milestone!
 Members of the THRiVE Discovery Lab recently published a commentary in Microbiome Research Reports focused on the recent study by Shama et al. The study focused on furthering our understanding of the role of breastfeeding in supporting the development of the infant gut microbiome in a high-risk population of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. The THRiVE team noted that this study provides a novel characterization of mother-VLBW infant microbiome dynamics and raises several important questions for future studies.
New Online Course for Health Professionals, featuring Dr. Azad: Human Milk and the Gut Microbiome3/3/2025
 Credit: https://unlok-education.com/ A new 60-minute online course, developed with the expertise of Dr. Meghan Azad, is now available for healthcare professionals. This course offers an accessible yet comprehensive overview of how human milk influences the developing gut microbiome. It explores the potential links between early microbiome development and the risk of chronic conditions such as asthma, allergies, and obesity. Designed to enhance the understanding of healthcare professionals across various fields, this course provides valuable insights into the crucial role of human milk in shaping long-term health outcomes.
 Left to right: Alie Johnston, Larisa Lotoski, Nathan Nickel, Karinne Muniz, Narges Khodabandehloo, Michelle Olivson, Zahra Nouri, Saeid Khakisahneh. On-screen (left to right): Meghan Azad, Christina Raimondi THRiVE Discovery Lab is thrilled to announce the successful defense of Narges Khodabandehloo’s MSc thesis titled, “Lactating Parents Attending Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre: A Descriptive Study.” Narges’ hard work and dedication to her research have made a significant contribution to the lab’s ongoing work. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Narges on this achievement and look forward to seeing her continue to thrive in her next endeavors. We wish her all the best in this exciting next chapter! Congratulations again, Narges!
 Conference notes and photos. Credit: Bridget McGann THRiVE Discovery Lab and Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre (MILC) collaborated with Liminal Creations to bring a science communication workshop to the meeting of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML). Participants discussed the fraught media landscape and social complexities around infant feeding and public literacy in lactation science, and explored new approaches and perspectives from the field of science communication. The group identified their target audiences for science communication, learned tips and tricks for talking to journalists, and had a chance to speak to a documentary film crew about their work. Additional workshops are under development, both online and in person - if you would like to be notified when registration opens, please email [email protected].
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Photos from wuestenigel, rabello_
