Dr. Shirin Moossavi, a PhD alumna of the Azad lab, received the Governor General's Gold Medal. This award is given annually by the Governor General of Canada to recognize the overall excellence and outstanding achievements of one University of Manitoba Master’s student and one University of Manitoba PhD student. Dr. Moossavi's PhD project focused on milk microbiota in the CHILD Cohort Study. Shirin is now a CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary. 

Azad Lab Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Merilee Brockway talked to Today’s Parent about the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) and how this may intersect with maternal experiences in the post-partum period. While she emphasized the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, she acknowledged that there are situations when formula may be necessary. We know that formula, even one bottle, can impact the infant gut microbiome. However, we also know that maternal mental health is equally important to consider when looking at infant outcomes. It is important to move from the “breast-is-best” or “fed-is-best” mantra to "informed is best" so that mothers are supported to make feeding decisions with a full understanding of the risks and benefits of both. 

What is it like to be a Girl in Science? Azad Lab members participated in the annual Girls in Science Day, hosted by the Let's Talk Science Team at the University of Manitoba. They talked about what they study and why they love science to inform grade 8 girls on different career paths.