 The IMiC Consortium, directed by THRiVE Director Meghan Azad, held its second in-person meeting from September 11-12th 2023, at Stanford University, USA. The group focused on discussing and interpreting the latest results ahead of knowledge translation activities. Several important IMiC milestones have been achieved including assay development and validation, analysis of nutrients and bioactives on nearly 2000 human milk samples, extensive data harmonization and development of machine learning pipelines. Publications to date include a series of 3 systematic reviews on breastmilk nutrients and bioactives on child growth and body composition and a proof-of-concept study on machine learning for predicting infant head circumference from maternal milk composition. Stay tuned for more updates from the IMiC Consortium as the group prepare to publish their new results!
  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
 Imagine credit: The Economist THRiVE 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.
 Rowan Shwaluk, a THRiVE 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!
 Credit: promotional graphic created by THRiVE 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:
  Credit: International Breastfeeding Journal THRiVE Director Dr. Meghan Azad, together with former THRiVE 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.
 Photo credit: Biomes, Dr. Ruairi Robertson THRiVE Director featured as Keynote Speaker at Baby Friendly Initiative Ontario Virtual Expo5/23/2024
 Keynote session by Dr. Meghan Azad. Credits: Baby-Friendly Initiative Ontario. THRiVE 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.
 Dr. Meghan Azad in conversation with Maralee Caruso. Credit: CTV News THRiVE Lab 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
 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. THRiVE 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.
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Photos from wuestenigel, rabello_
