FLRF is grateful to these leading experts for sharing their time and expertise with the foundation.
Drawing on a deep well of interdisciplinary experience in lactation, breastfeeding and breastmilk, the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) provides specialized professional counsel, with the aim of supporting the Foundation so that its work may have maximum impact, in alignment with its vision, mission and strategy.
We invite you to learn more about each member of the FLRF SAB, and their valuable contributions to mother and child health.
SAB chair
James McGill Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Canada; Director, Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Key PublicationsZhang X et al. Analysis of ‘sensitive’ periods of fetal and child growth. Int J Epidemiol 2019; 48:116-123.
Kramer MS et al. Infant feeding and growth: putting the horse before the cart. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018; 107(4):635–639.
Martin RM et al. Effects of promoting longer term and exclusive breastfeeding on cardiometabolic risk factors at age 11.5 years: a cluster-randomized, controlled trial. Circulation. 2014; 129(3):321-329.
Kramer MS et al. Is restricted fetal growth associated with later adiposity? Observational analysis of a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014; 100(1):176-181.
Kramer MS et al. Breastfeeding and child cognitive development: new evidence from a large randomized trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008; 65(5):578-584.
Kramer MS et al. Amniotic-fluid embolism and medical induction of labour: a retrospective, population-based cohort study. Lancet. 2006; 368(9545):1444-1448.
Kramer MS et al. Promotion of breastfeeding intervention trial (PROBIT): A randomized trial in the Republic of Belarus. JAMA. 2001; 285(4):413-420.
Kramer MS et al. Pacifier use, weaning, and cry/fuss behavior: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2001; 286(3):322-326. Joseph KS et al. Determinants of preterm birth rates in Canada from 1981 through 1983 and from 1992 through 1994. N Engl J Med. 1998; 339(20):1434-1439.
Kramer MS et al. Risks and benefits of paracetamol antipyresis in young children with fever of presumed viral origin. Lancet. 1991; 337(8741):591-594.
Gray-Donald K and Kramer MS. Causality inference in observational vs. experimental studies: An empirical comparison. Am J Epidemiol. 1988; 127(5):885-892.
Kramer MS et al. The validity of gestational age estimation by menstrual dating in term, preterm, postterm gestations. JAMA. 1988; 260(6):3306-3308.
Kramer MS. Determinants of low birth weight: methodological assessment and meta-analysis. Bull World Health Organ. 1987; 65(5):663-737.
Bergevin Y et al. Do infant formula samples shorten the duration of breastfeeding? Lancet. 1983; 1(8334):1148-1151gfgdf
SAB member
Co-Director of the Centre for Global Child Health at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Founding Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
Key PublicationsAkseer N et al. Status and drivers of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in the Islamic world: a comparative analysis. Lancet. 2018; 391(10129):1493–1512.
Vaivada T et al. Evidence-based interventions for improvement of maternal and child nutrition in low-income settings. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2017; 20(3):204–210.
Bhutta ZA et al. Can available interventions end preventable deaths in mothers, newborn babies, and stillbirths, and at what cost? Lancet. 2014;
384(9940):347–70.
Bhutta ZA and Das JK. Global Burden of Childhood Diarrhea and Pneumonia: What Can and Should Be Done? Pediatrics. 2013; 131(4):634–636.
WHO. Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth. 2013.
WHO.Global Experience of Community Health Workers for Delivery of Health Related Millennium Development Goals: A Systematic Review, Country Case Studies, and Recommendations for Integration into National Health Systems.
Bhutta ZA et al. Countdown to 2015 decade report (2000–10): taking stock of maternal, newborn, and child survival. Lancet. 2010; 375(9730):2032–2044.
Lassi ZS et al. Community-based intervention packages for reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality and improving neonatal outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;(11):CD007754.
Kerber KJ et al. Continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health: from slogan to service delivery. Lancet. 2007; ;370(9595):1358–1369.
SAB member
Chair of Biomedical Ethics, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Key PublicationsMouton Dorey C et al. Patient data and patients rights: Swiss healthcare stakeholders’ ethical awareness regarding large patient data sets. BMC Med Ethics. 2018; 19(1):20.
Luyckx VA et al. Health policy and systems research: towards a better understanding and review of ethical issues. BMJ Glob Health. 2017;2(2):e000314.
Gregorowius D et al. The role of scientific self-regulation for the control of genome editing in the human germline. EMBO Rep. 2017; 18(3):355-358.
Trachsel M et al. Palliative psychiatry for severe and persistent mental illness. Lancet Psychiatry. 2016; 3(3):200.
Biller-Andorno N and Zeltner T. Individual Responsibility and Community Solidarity – The Swiss Health Care System. N Engl J Med. 2015; 373(23):2193-7.
Fourie C et al. Systematically evaluating the impact of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) on health care delivery: A matrix of ethical implications. Health Policy. 2014; 115(2- 3):157-164.
Clarinval C and Biller-Andorno N. Challenging Operations: An Ethical Framework to Assist Humanitarian Aid Workers in their Decision-making Processes. PLoS Curr. 2014;
pii:ecurrents.dis.96bec99f13800a8059bb5b5a82028bbf.
Biller-Andorno N and Jüni P. Abolishing mammography screening programs? A view from the Swiss Medical Board. N Engl J Med. 2014; 370(21):1965-1967.
Biller-Andorno N and Lee TH. Ethical physician incentives – from carrots and sticks to shared purpose. N Engl J Med. 2013; 368(11):980-982.
Bastami S et al. Systematic Review of Attitudes Toward Donation After Cardiac Death Among Health Care Providers and the General Public. Crit Care Med. 2013; 41(3):897-905.
Biller-Andorno N. Bioethics in a globalized world: creating space for flourishing human relationships. Bioethics. 2011; 25(8):430-436.
Biller-Andorno N. Voluntariness in Living-Related Organ Donation. Transplantation. 2011; 92(6):617-9.
Biller-Andorno N and Capron A. "Gratuities“ for donated organs: ethically indefensible. Lancet. 2011; 377(9775):1390-1391.
SAB member
Professor and Principal Investigator at University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), USA; Director of the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (LRF MOMI CORE), UC San Diego
Key Publications
Miliku K et al. Human milk oligosaccharide profiles and food sensitization among infants in the CHILD Study. Allergy. 2018; Oct;73(10):2070-2073.
Autran CA et al. Human milk oligosaccharide composition predicts risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Gut. 2018; 67(6):1064-1070.
Milani C et al. The first microbial colonizers of the human gut: composition, activities and health implications of the infant gut microbiota. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2017; 81(4). pii: e00036-17.
Bazanella M et al. Randomized controlled trial on the impact of early life intervention with bifidobacteria on the healthy infant fecal microbiota and metabolite profile. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017; 106(5):1274-1286.
Lin AE et al. Human Milk Oligosaccharides Inhibit Growth of Group B Streptococcus. J Biol Chem. 2017; 292(27):11243- 11249.
McGuire MK et al. What’s normal? Oligosaccharide concentrations and profiles in milk produced by healthy women vary geographically. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017; 105(5):1086-1100.
Seppo AE et al. Human milk oligosaccharides and development of cow’s milk allergy in infants. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017; 39(2):708-711.e5.
Bender JM et al. Maternal HIV Infection Influences the Microbiome of HIV-Uninfected Infants. Sci Transl Med. 2016; 8(349):349ra100.
Alderete TL et al. Associations between human milk oligosaccharides and infant body composition in the first six months of life. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(6):1381-8.
Bode L et al. Human Milk Oligosaccharide concentration and risk of postnatal transmission of HIV through breastfeeding. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012; 96(4):831-9.
Jantscher-Krenn E et al. The Human Milk Oligosaccharide Disialyllacto-N-tetraose prevents Necrotizing Enterocolitis in neonatal rats. GUT 2012; 61(10):1417-25.
Bode L. Human Milk Oligosaccharides: Every baby Needs a Sugar Mama. Glycobiology. 2012; 22(9):1147-62.
SAB member
Distinguished Professor Emerita, Department of Nutrition and Institute for Global Nutrition, University of California, Davis, USA
Key PublicationsDewey KG et al. Lipid-based nutrient supplementation in the first 1000 d improves child growth in Bangladesh: a cluster-randomized effectiveness trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017; 105(4):944-957.
Dewey KG. The challenge of meeting nutrient needs of infants and young children during the period of complementary feeding: an evolutionary perspective. J Nutr. 2013; 143(12):2050-2054.
Nommsen-Rivers LA et al. Delayed onset of lactogenesis among first-time mothers is related to maternal obesity and factors associated with ineffective breastfeeding. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010; 92(3):5745-84.
Chaparro CM et al. Effect of the timing of umbilical cord clamping on iron status in 6-month-old Mexican infants: a randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 2006; 367(9527):1997-2004.
Dewey KG et al. Risk factors for sub-optimal infant breastfeeding behavior, delayed onset of lactation and excess neonatal weight loss. Pediatrics. 2003; 112(3 Pt 1):607-619.
Dewey KG et al. Iron supplementation affects growth and morbidity of breast-fed infants: results of a randomized trial in Sweden and Honduras. J Nutr. 2002; 132(11):3249-3255.
Dewey KG et al. Growth of breastfed infants deviates from current reference data: a pooled analysis of U.S., Canadian and European data sets. Pediatrics. 1995; 96(3 Pt 1):495-503.
Cohen RJ et al. Effects of age of introduction of complementary foods on infant breast milk intake, total energy intake, and growth: a randomised intervention study in Honduras. Lancet. 1994; 344(8918):288-293.
Dewey KG et al. A randomized study of the effects of aerobic exercise by lactating women on breast-milk volume and composition. New Eng J Med. 1994; 330(7):449-453
SAB member
Dept. Maternal and Child Health, Uppsala University, Sweden; Consultant and Medical Advisor Neonataology and Pediatrics, County Gävleborg, Sweden
Key PublicationsKc A, Ewald U, Basnet O, Gurung A, Pyakuryal SN, Jha BK, Bergström A, ErikssonL, Paudel P, Karki S, Gajurel S, Brunell O, Wrammert J, Litorp H, Målqvist M. Effect of a scaled-up neonatal resuscitation quality improvement package on intrapartum-related mortality in Nepal: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS Med. 2019 Sep 9;16(9):e1002900.
Andersson O, Rana N, Ewald U, Målqvist M, Stripple G, Basnet O, Subedi K, Kc A. Intact cord resuscitation versus early cord clamping in the treatment of depressed newborn infants during the first 10 minutes of birth (Nepcord III) - a randomized clinical trial. Matern Health Neonatol Perinatol. 2019 Aug 29;5:15.
Kc A et al. Evaluation of Helping Babies Breathe Quality Improvement Cycle (HBB-QIC) on retention of neonatal resuscitation skills six months after training in Nepal. BMC Pediatr. 2017; 17(1):103.
Raiskila S et al. Parents' presence and parent-infant closeness in 11 neonatal intensive care units in six European countries vary between and within the countries. Acta Paediatr. 2017; 106(6):878-888.
Kc A et al. Reducing Perinatal Mortality in Nepal Using Helping Babies Breathe. Pediatrics. 2016; 137(6). pii: e20150117.
Kc A et al. Risk factors for antepartum stillbirth: a case-control study in Nepal. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2015; 15:146.
Baylis R et al. First-time events between parents and preterm infants are affected by the designs and routines of neonatal intensive care units. Acta Paediatr. 2014; 103(10):1045-1052.
Persson LÅ et al. Effect of Facilitation of Local Maternal-and-Newborn Stakeholder Groups on Neonatal Mortality: Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS Med. 2013; 10(5):e1001445.
Persson LÅ et al. Effect of Facilitation of Local Maternal-and-Newborn Stakeholder Groups on Neonatal Mortality: Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS Med. 2013; 10(5):e1001445.
Flacking R et al. Closeness and separationin neonatal intensive care. Acta Paediatr. 2012; 101(10):1032-1037.
SAB member
Professor of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Director of the UBS International Center of Economics in Society; Global Distinguished Professor at New York University, USA
Key PublicationsBartling B et al. The Intrinsic Value of Decision Rights, Econometrica. 2014; 82(6):2005-2039.
Cohn A et al. Business culture and dishonesty in the banking industry. Nature. 2014; 516(7529):86-89.
Ruff CC et al. Changing Social Norm Compliance with Noninvasive Brain Stimulation. Science. 2013; 342(6157):482- 484.
Fehr E et al. The Lure of Authority: Motivation and Incentive Effects of Power. Am Econ Rev. 2013; 103(4):1325-1359.
Morishima Y et al. Linking Brain Structure and Activation in Temporoparietal Junction to Explain the Neurobiology of Human Altruism. Neuron. 2012; 75(1):73-79.
Bartling B et al. Screening, Competition, and Job Design: Economic Origins of Good Jobs. Am Econ Rev. 2012; 102(2):834-864.
Fehr E et al. Contracts as Reference Points – Experimental Evidence. Am Econ Rev. 2011; 101(2):493-525.
Fehr E et al. Egalitarianism in Young Children. Nature. 2008; 454(7208):1079 -1083
Falk A et al. Fairness Perceptions and Reservation Wages: The Behavioral Effects of Minimum Wage Laws. Q J Econ. 2006; 121(4):1347-1381.
Fehr E and Fischbacher U. Social Norms and Human Cooperation. Trends Cogn Sci. 2004; 8(4):185-190.
de Quervain DJ et al. The Neural Basis of Altruistic Punishment. Science. 2004; 305(5688):1254-1258.
Fehr E et al. Detrimental Effects of Sanctions on Human Altruism. Nature. 2003; 422(6928):137-140.
Fehr E and Fischbacher U. The Nature of Human Altruism. Nature. 2003; 425(6960):785-791.
Fehr E and Gächter S. Altruistic Punishment in Humans. Nature. 2002; 415(6868):137-140.
Fehr E Schmidt KM. A Theory of Fairness, Competition and Cooperation. Q J Econ. 1999; 114(3):817-868.
SAB member
Professor of Paediatrics (C3, Extraordinarius) at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, Germany and Head of the Division Metabolic & Nutritional Medicine at Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, University of Munich Medical Centre
Key PublicationsHellmuth C et al. The impact of human breast milk components on the infant metabolism. PLoS One. 2018; 13(6):e0197713.
Hellmuth C et al. Maternal Metabolomic Profile and Fetal Programming of Offspring Adiposity: Identification of Potentially Protective Lipid Metabolites. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2018:e1700889. [Epub ahead of print]
Gázquez A et al. Placental Lipid Droplet Composition; Effect of a Lifestyle Intervention (UPBEAT) in Obese Pregnant Women.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2018; 1863(9):998-1005. [Epub ahead of print] Luque V et al. Unhealthy dietary patterns established in infancy track to mid-childhood: the EU Childhood Obesity Project. J Nutr. 2018; 148(5):752–759.
Gomes D et al. A simple method for identification of misreporting of energy intake from infancy to school age: results from a longitudinal study. Clin Nutr. 2018; 37(3):1053-1060.
Øyen J et al. Fatty fish intake and cognitive function: FINS-KIDS a randomized controlled trial in preschool children. BMC Med. 2018; 16(1):41.
Patel N et al. Cord Metabolic Profiles In Obese Pregnant Women; Insights Into Offspring Growth And Body Composition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018; 103(1):346-355.
Demmelmair H and Koletzko B. Lipids in human milk. Best PractRes Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018; 32(1):57-68.
de Waard M et al. Optimal nutrition in lactating women and its effect on later health of offspring: a systematic review of current recommendations (Early Nutrition Project). Crit Rev Food SciNutr. 2017; 57(18):4003-4016.
Rzehak P et al. DNA-Methylation and Body Composition in Preschool Children: Epigenome-Wide-Analysis in the European Childhood Obesity Project (CHOP)-Study. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):14349.
Rauschert S et al. Early life factors, obesity risk and the metabolome of young adults. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2017; 25(9):1549-1555.
SAB member
Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Women, Children and Family Nursing at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, USA
Key PublicationsHoban R et al. Human milk biomarkers of secretory activation in breast pump-dependent mothers of premature infants. Breastfeed Med. 2018; 13(5):352-360.
Meier PP et al. Evidence-based methods that promote human milk feeding of preterm infants: An Expert Review. Clin Perinatol. 2017; 44(1),1-22.
Meier PP et al. (2017). Donor human milk update: evidence, mechanisms, and priorities for research and practice. J Pediatr. 2017; 180,15-21.
Patel AL et al. Influence of own mother's milk on bronchopulmonary dysplasia and costs. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2017; 102(3):F256-F261.
Patra K et al. NICU human milk dose and 20-month neurodevelopment outcome in very low birth weight infants. Neonatology. 2017; 112(4):330-336.
Meier PP et al. Which breast pump for which mother: an evidence-based approach to individualizing breast pump technology. J Perinatol. 2016; 36(7):493-499.
Johnson TJ et al. Cost savings of human milk as a strategy to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants. Neonatology. 2015; 107(4),271-276.
Meier PP et al. Breastfeeding peer counselors as direct lactation care providers in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Hum Lact. 2013; 29(3):313-322.
Patel AL et al. Impact of early human milk on sepsis and health care costs in very low birth weight infants. J Perinatol. 2013; 33(7):514-519.
Meier PP et al. Improving the use of human milk during and after the NICU stay. Clin Perinatol. 2010; 37(1):217-245.
Meier PP et al. Accuracy of a user-friendly centrifuge for measuring creamatocrits on mothers’ milk in the clinical setting. Breastfeed Med. 2006; 1(2):79-87.
SAB member
Director, The Joannah and Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition; Distinguished Professor, Anthropology & Global Health, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts & Sciences; Professor, Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Dalla Lana School of Public Health; Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at University of Toronto, Canada
Key PublicationsMcKerracher LJ, Nepomnaschy P, Altman RM, Sellen, D, and Collard M. Breastfeeding duration and the social learning of infant feeding knowledge in two maya communities. Human Nature. 2020; 1-25.
Francis J, Mildon A, Steward S, Underhill B, Tarasuk V, Di Ruggiero E, Sellen D, and O’Connor DL. Vulnerable mothers’ experiences breastfeeding with an enhanced community lactation support program. Matern Child Nutr. 2020; e12957.
Lackey KA, Williams JE, Meehan CL, Zachek JA, Benda ED, Price WJ, Foster JA, Sellen DW, Kamau-Mbuthia EW, Kamundia EW, Mbugua S, Moore SE, Prentice AM, K DG, Kvist LJ, Otoo GE, García-Carral C, Jiménez E, Ruiz L, Rodríguez JM, Pareja RG, Bode L, McGuire MA, and McGuire MK. What’s normal? Microbiomes in human milk and infant feces are related to each other but vary geographically: The INSPIRE study. Front Nutr. 2019; 6:45.
McGuire MK, Meehan CL, McGuire MA, Williams JE, Foster J, Sellen DW, Kamau-Mbuthia EW, Kamundia EW, Mbugua S, Moore SE, Prentice AM, Kvist LJ, Otoo GE, Brooker SL, Price WJ, Shafii B, Placek C, Lackey KA, Robertson B, Manzano S, Ruíz L, Rodríguez JM, Pareja RG and Bode L. What’s normal? Oligosaccharide concentrations and profiles in milk produced by healthy women vary geographically. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017; 105 (5): 1086-1100.
Badescu I, Watts DP, Katzenberg MA and Sellen DW. Alloparenting is associated with reduced maternal lactation effort and faster weaning in wild chimpanzees. R Soc Open Sci. 2016;3(11):160577
Grewel NK, Andersen LF, Sellen DW, Mosdøl A and Torheim LE. Breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in the first 6 months of life among Norwegian-Somali and NorwegianIraqi infants: the InnBaKost survey. Public Health Nutr. 2016;19(4):703-715.
Pérez-Escamilla R and Sellen DW. Equity in Breastfeeding: Where Do We Go from Here? J Hum Lact. 2015;31(1):12-14.
McIsaac KE, Sellen DW, Lou W and Young K. Prevalence and Characteristics Associated with Breastfeeding Initiation Among Canadian Inuit from the 2007–2008 Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey. Matern Child Health J. 2015;19(9):2003–2011.
Webb-Girard AL, Cherobon A, Mbugua S, Kamau-Mbuthia E and Sellen DW. Food insecurity is associated with attitudes towards exclusive breastfeeding among women in urban Kenya. Matern Child Nutr. 2012;8(2):199-214.