Projects
A new project will study evidence of transmission and antibodies in breast milk of COVID-19 positive mothers
A collaborative project between researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), New York University (NYU) and University of Idaho will examine whether mothers can transmit COVID-19 through breast milk, and whether the breast milk itself has immunological properties against the disease.
Center for Modern Infant Feeding
Recent grant funding was received to establish a center dedicated to pursuing the research necessary to provide care-givers with evidence-based guidance on common feeding concerns. Our first three studies investigate these topics:
- The link between maternal stress and breast milk composition
- How feed variation in the NICU is associated with growth rates and metabolic disturbances
- How variation in bioactive components in breast milk and infant feeding products impacts infant intestinal health and gene expression
Is Milk Associated with Glycemia in the NICU? (MAGIC)
This study investigates how daily changes in feed variation in premature infants may impact infant metabolic health and growth rates. You can find more about this study here:
Is Milk Associated With Glycemia in the NICU (MAGIC)
Studying Infant Nutrition and Blood Sugar
This ongoing clinical study investigates how variation in breast milk hormone composition impacts infant intestinal development, microbiome, and pancreatic function.
Clinical Trial/Study Details: Studying Infant Nutrition and Blood Sugar in Breastfed Infants
Formula – Understanding Nutrition (FUN) – An Infant Formula Study
We are studying exclusively formula-fed infants who have habitually consumed either lactose-based, or glucose/sucrose-based standard infant formula. We are investigating how dietary differences impact infant development, microbiome, and pancreatic function.
We also have built a national dataset of infant formula purchases which allows us to investigate questions about what ingredients are commonly consumed by formula-fed infants in the US. These studies inform our understanding of infant nutrition in the context of formula feeding, and support work that strives to improve infant formula composition.
BEGIN Breastfeeding Study
This NIH funded project studies how breast milk changes over time, both throughout the day, and as the baby grows. This study also studies how changes in breast milk over time are associated with the developing infant gut microbiome and development of infants’ sleep patterns. We are studying these relationships among families who feed their baby exclusively via nursing and the breast and among families who exclusively feed their babies’ breast milk from a bottle.