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Looking at milk lipids and their implications for early life health

30 Aug. 2023

Researchers at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute conducted the most comprehensive human milk lipidomics study to date – and their findings indicate human milk lipids may contribute to the protective health benefits seen in breastfed infants.

The team analyzed and compared lipid profiles (the lipidome) in human milk with bovine, goat and soy-based infant formula, and bovine and goat milk.

The human milk lipidome emerged as distinct.

Here now: LactaWebinar recording on breastfeeding challenges for working families

16 Aug. 2023

Did you miss the free LactaWebinar held during World Breastfeeding Week 2023 - Breastfeeding challenges for working mothers and their families in different workplace settings?

We invite you to watch the recording and access the accompanying slides on LactaHub.

This LactaWebinar was hosted by Amref International University, The Global Health Network (University of Oxford) and LactaHub.

TEP grant applications open in honor of World Breastfeeding Week

01 Aug. 2023

Trainee Expansion Program (TEP) grants are for early career academics in the field of human milk and lactation. A total of up to USD $250,000 per year is available for research projects, via two types of TEP grants:

Trainee Bridge Fund (TBF) grants offer up to USD $100,000

Trainee Travel Fund (TTF) grants offer up to USD $10,000

TEP is a partnership project of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML) and the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation (FLRF).

Applications close 1 October 2023 – apply now!

Invite to free LactaWebinar: 3 August

04 Jul. 2023

The topic? Breastfeeding challenges for working mothers and their families in different workplace settings.

Hosted by Amref International University, The Global Health Network (University of Oxford) and LactaHub, in honor of World Breastfeeding Week 2023.

Please save the date and join us for an engaging, informative LactaWebinar on Thursday, 3 August 2023, 3:00 PM London.

LEARN research project (Forschungsprojekt LEARN) at the University of Zurich

14 Jun. 2023

LEARN research project at the University of Zurich: Infant nutrition in the family context

To support the study as broadly as possible, the team at UZH is seeking parents with infants up to 6 weeks old. If you are interested and live in Canton Zurich, please find details inside.

Forschungsprojekt LEARN der Universität Zürich: Ernährung von Kleinkindern im familiären Kontext

Um die Studie so breit wie möglich abzustützen, sucht das Team der Universität Zürich noch Eltern mit Babys bis zu 6 Wochen nach der Geburt.

Opening 1 August: TEP grant applications

07 Jun. 2023

Trainee Expansion Program (TEP) grant applications for early career academics in the field of human milk and lactation are opening soon!

TEP grants are merit-based scholarships offering up to USD 250,000 per year for research projects. They are for academics who wish to launch or advance a career in human milk and lactation.

TEP grants are a partnership project of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML) and the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation (FLRF).

Open access: LactaHub workshop recording, Kenya Paediatric Association Conference

26 Apr. 2023

The Kenya Paediatric Association hosted a richly informative, hands-on LactaHub Workshop at its Annual Scientific Conference: Explore Ethical Principles in Health and Breastfeeding Research by Usin...

How consensus is built – an important step informing the success of breastfeeding scale-up

24 Apr. 2023

The Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) initiative was successfully completed in Samoa in 2018, leading to breastfeeding friendly hospital policies and lactation rooms in government ministries....

Happy International Women's Day

08 Mar. 2023

On International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, the United Nations is calling for “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”. So, what does this year’s theme look like, through the lens of...

Congratulations, 2022 TEP grant recipients!

15 Feb. 2023

The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML) and the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation (FLRF) are excited to share details about the 2022 Trainee Expansion Program (TEP) grant recipients.

Their projects are diverse in scope, yet each one is innovative, ambitious in aim and rich in potential. Thanks to their drive and creativity, these five talented early career academics are emerging as active contributors to the field of human milk and lactation.

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science!

11 Feb. 2023

The theme for this International Day of Women and Girls in Science is “Innovate. Demonstrate. Elevate. Advance. Sustain. (I.D.E.A.S.) – Bringing Everyone Forward for Sustainable and Equitable Devel...

2022 University California San Diego FLRF

Do HMOs benefit infant brain development?

31 Jan. 2023

According to a narrative review by research experts in human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), yes, they do. Their work has just been published in a Nutrients Special Issue, Human Milk Feeding: Health...

A close look at COVID-19 on infant development

16 Jan. 2023

The January/February 2023 Special Issue of Infancy – ‘The Impact of COVID-19 on Infant Development’ – brings together 10 papers about the pandemic’s effect on the youngest members of society. While...

Discover the Great British BBF experience

12 Jan. 2023

Now for the first time, Great Britain’s full Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) initiative experience has been chronicled in a comprehensive Special Issue of Maternal & Child Nutrition. Gues...

Persistence of preterm birth impacts

06 Jan. 2023

A new study on families with children who survived very preterm birth reveals longer-term impacts – not only for survivors, but also on family health and functioning. This is especially relevant as...

Season's greetings ... and thank you

20 Dec. 2022

As we reflect on the past year, we are reminded yet again of our great fortune to work with an amazing group of partners from around the world. They supported us in our daily business. They collab...

Testing for SARS-CoV-2 immunity via breastmilk

25 Nov. 2022

A study of the breastmilk from 21 women infected with SARS-CoV-2 revealed the presence of diverse and unique virus-specific antibodies – antibodies that may offer passive immunity for breastfeeding...

LactaHub Symposium at The Global Health Network Conference

23 Nov. 2022

LactaHub hosted a richly informative, hands-on symposium at The Global Health Network Conference 2022, University of Cape Town, on 23 November: Infant and Young Child Feeding – An Innovative Method for Effective Campaign Planning.

Regaining BBF momentum in England

04 Nov. 2022

After two systemic speedbumps – the Brexit agreement and General Election in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – activities connected to Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) recommendations are revving back up. Find the details in Maternal & Child Nutrition.

How do hormones guide mammary glands and lactation?

03 Oct. 2022

Just published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, this article summarizes our knowledge to date of the endocrine system’s intricate links to mammary gland development and functions. It also highligh...

New insight on growth and neurodevelopment

01 Oct. 2022

Researchers seeking insight on the association between postnatal growth and neurodevelopment of extremely preterm infants have found it – in Switzerland. A new study of 1,049 infants born under 28...

Natural vaccination through breastmilk

27 Aug. 2022

Infectious diseases cause over one third of all child deaths under age five. Could microbial antigen in breastmilk activate a newborn’s immune system, helping to build long-term protection against common and deadly infections?

TEP grants: applications open today!

01 Aug. 2022

Two types of TEP grants – offering up to USD $100,000 or up to USD $10,000 – are now open to early career researchers and students in human milk and lactation. This is one way to answer the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week call to ‘Step up for Breastfeeding: Education and Support’.

Breastmilk lipids: key protectors against non-communicable diseases?

06 Jul. 2022

Researchers are looking closely at how breastmilk lipids and lipid metabolites may protect infants into adulthood from obesity, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and resulting non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – diseases predicted to contribute to 75% of deaths worldwide by 2030.

Context matters, especially when it comes to ethics

16 May. 2022

Are you involved in health or breastfeeding research or implementation? You might find this Journal of Medical Ethics blog post helpful. From the Ethics in Health and Breastfeeding Research Webinar Series, offering practical insights and guidance on ethics application from international experts working in diverse health settings.

Congratulations to the 2021 TEP grant recipients!

01 May. 2022

The Trainee Expansion Program (TEP) is an international professional development initiative from ISRHML and FLRF that offers two types of grants annually to scientists seeking to enter or advance a career in human milk and lactation.

New clues to identify preterm infants at risk?

19 Apr. 2022

A pilot study just uncovered differences in gut metabolites between preterm babies born to mothers with and without asthma. It could lay the groundwork for identifying children in neonatal intensive care units who are vulnerable to allergy and asthma – and for developing interventions to reduce the risk.

Forum for Global Health Ethics Webinar

18 Mar. 2022

We are delighted to invite you to a free Forum for Global Health Ethics Webinar on 13 April 2022 – Offering Financial Incentives to Participants in Health and Breastfeeding Research.

Happy International Women's Day!

08 Mar. 2022

‘Gender equality for a sustainable tomorrow’ is this year’s theme, and we are celebrating contributions from women leading the charge. We asked Dr Alecia-Jane Twigger, a scientist we are privileged to engage with, about her work to improve maternal and infant health. Her story is inspiring …

Great Britain’s Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) experiences

07 Mar. 2022

How did England, Scotland and Wales implement the BBF evidence-based policy toolbox? And which policy improvement recommendations to enable stronger breastfeeding environments resulted? Click ‘Read more’ below for details, just published in a special issue of Maternal and Child Nutrition.

LactaWebinar on EFBRI

22 Feb. 2022

Please join the free webinar on LactaHub for a tour and conversation on the ethics principles compiled in EFBRI – An Evolving Ethical Framework Informing Breastfeeding Research and Interventions.

What is one of the biggest barriers to breastfeeding?

17 Feb. 2022

Returning to work. Which is why this just-published analysis of breastfeeding policies at 14 workplaces in Mexico could serve as a guide for creating breastfeeding-friendly work environments. Researchers talked to mothers, managers and other personnel, identifying three contextual factors as the most effective to overcoming this barrier …

What does paid maternity leave for informal workers cost?

12 Feb. 2022

Brazil and Ghana just found out, thanks to a recent costing study published in the International Journal for Equity in Health. In each country, the estimated annual amount is a fraction of a percent of GDP.

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

11 Feb. 2022

This year’s theme highlights equity, diversity and inclusion, and aims to recognise women and girls as agents of change. We asked Josephine Agyeman-Duah, PhD candidate and change agent we are honoured to collaborate with, how she makes change happen. This is what she said …

Milk cells provide new insight into the lactating breast

28 Jan. 2022

Scientists have found a new way to see how human breast tissue changes during lactation – by looking at mammary cells in breastmilk. What they saw could aid in understanding milk production and how this impacts long-term breast cancer risk. Their groundbreaking work has just been published in Nature Communications.

Conclusion: ‘No infectious SARS-CoV-2 in Breastmilk'

19 Jan. 2022

This new study supporting the safety of breastfeeding and breastmilk from women with COVID-19 has just been published in Nature’s Pediatric Research.

Scotland is ripe to scale up breastfeeding

11 Jan. 2022

Keen to increase national breastfeeding rates, the Scottish Government launched the evidence-based Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly process to find out how. Here is what they discovered.

HMOS: Broad-spectrum antibiotic alternatives?

05 Jan. 2022

Pregnant women with Group B Streptococcus often take antibiotics to protect their newborns from bacterial infections that can cause preterm birth, serious disease and even death. Yet researchers have found human milk oligosaccharides may be just as effective – without the side effects.

EFBRI launches on LactaHub!

18 Nov. 2021

EFBRI – An Evolving Ethical Framework Informing Breastfeeding Research and Interventions, is here and ready to streamline research processes. Built by the University of Zurich, EFBRI can help safeguard the rights and dignity of everyone involved in breastfeeding and lactation research.

Device to revolutionize HMO analysis?

05 Nov. 2021

First came collaboration, then came innovation. A research project fostered by MOMI CORE could forever change how human milk oligosaccharides – crucial for infant development – are assessed at the point of care.

Now in German: breastfeeding reference book

22 Sep. 2021

Breastfeeding and Breast Milk – from Biochemistry to Impact: the breastfeeding reference book by 30 leading experts is now available in German on LactaHub.

What happens when breastfeeding mothers take antibiotics?

10 Sep. 2021

Thanks to a USD 6.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine will launch a collaborative Center of Excellence in Therapeutics to study the effects of maternal antibiotic use on breastmilk and infant health.

How much zinc and iron?

08 Sep. 2021

Researchers measured the quantitative supply of these micronutrients – crucial for metabolism, immunity and brain development – to breastfed infants during a critical developmental window to find out. Their findings offer an opportunity to address two global public health challenges: stunting and iron deficiency anemia.

Breastmilk: key to preventing allergies?

01 Sep. 2021

Babies exposed to allergens via breastmilk may benefit from immune system ‘instruction’ that prevents allergies from developing, according to global research led by the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding at The University of Western Australia and the Telethon Kids Institute.

Hormones on infant birth stress

27 Aug. 2021

A novel study led by the University of Regensburg has isolated the critical hormones that help newborns transition successfully from intra-uterine to extra-uterine life … the findings may surprise you.

In memory: Professor Peter Hartmann

12 Aug. 2021

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Peter Hartmann, who died peacefully on 12 August 2021.

TEP grant applications open!

01 Aug. 2021

It’s World Breastfeeding Week, and this year’s theme is ‘Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility’. This is why we and ISRHML are offering research grants for early career academics in human milk and lactation.

Breastfeeding interventions at work

25 Jun. 2021

Nearly half the global workforce is female, and employers are increasingly seeking ways to accommodate working women who wish to breastfeed their children. A new review examining what makes an intervention successful (or not) could point the way forward.

Twitter influencers on #breastfeeding

08 Jun. 2021

Scientists dove deep into Big (Twitter) Data to find out what practical strategies influencers use to effectively communicate about breastfeeding. What they learned could help health professionals and researchers communicate more effectively too – essential to educating the public and protecting and promoting the health of all people, in all communities.

New TEP grants open 1 August

19 May. 2021

ISRHML and FLRF are recharging their annual grant offering – for another 5 years – for those who wish to enter or advance a career in human milk and lactation. Learn more and apply!

Hope for preterm infants at risk

13 Apr. 2021

Scientists collaborating across China, South Korea and the US are bringing the world closer to understanding and preventing necrotizing enterocolitis – a devastating disease.

World Health Day 2021

07 Apr. 2021

It‘s World Health Day and time to build a fairer, healthier world for everyone, everywhere. Breastfeeding is a crucial element in reaching this goal.

LactaMedia launches on IWD2021

08 Mar. 2021

The UN Women’s vision of an equal future includes healthcare services that meet the needs of all women. We are excited to report that LactaHub is contributing with a resource to help health professionals meet the specific needs of lactating and breastfeeding women: LactaMedia – A Clinical Image Collection. The emerging, open access collection of educational photos and videos is appropriate for training, presenting and assisting patients.

What is the cost of ...

15 Feb. 2021

... not breastfeeding in Indonesia? Billions per year, researchers estimate. This new costing study in the International Breastfeeding Journal shows how expanding paid maternity leave is not only economically attractive, but has the potential to boost breastfeeding rates and save the lives of mothers and children.

Gut-breast axis and child health

12 Feb. 2021

A story about the overlooked gut-breast axis and child health has just been published in MDPI Nutrients. Read on for fascinating insights from scientists exploring how interactions between the maternal gut and the breast, and then the breast and the infant gut, help program health for life.

Women and Girls in Science

11 Feb. 2021

It's International Day of Women and Girls in Science! In celebrating STEM women of yesterday, today and tomorrow, we asked 2 women the foundation is honored to work with to tell us what – or who – inspired them as girls. Here’s what they told us …

Breastfeeding and COVID-19 vaccination

09 Feb. 2021

Not an ‘either-or’: the Lancet just published an open letter by global breastfeeding experts urging for a comprehensive approach to assessing vaccines for breastfeeding mothers … because women and their healthcare providers should not have to choose or the other.

Threat of living near armed conflicts

25 Jan. 2021

What is often more of a threat to life and health than direct violence? The ‘indirect’ effects on women and children of living near armed conflicts. This just-published Lancet Series shines a light on top dangers and offers insights on key interventions. Conducted by BRANCH, the research was supported in part by FLRF.

Breathing (and breastfeeding) easier with oxytocin?

20 Jan. 2021

Could inducing mild labor with oxytocin before an elective cesarean section trigger the release of hormones that help newborns breathe? Scientists at 8 hospitals in Switzerland and Germany are looking for answers, with support from FLRF.

COVID-19 vaccination

19 Jan. 2021

Can it protect breastfed children as well? The University of California San Diego School of Medicine is investigating how COVID-19 vaccines may not only benefit breastfeeding mothers, but also their breastfed infants, thanks to a USD 200,000 donation from FLRF.

Cost of maternal protection in the Philippines

04 Nov. 2020

Alive and Thrive and the Yale University Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) initiative teamed up to find out what it would cost to protect the country's informal workers, since improving maternity protection could promote breastfeeding – a major driver of many Sustainable Development Goals.

One step closer ...

21 Oct. 2020

... to a preventative strategy for newborns at risk of intestinal necrosis? Newborns weighing less than 1,500 grams are in danger of developing necrotizing enterocolitis – a deadly intestinal disease caused by excess inflammation. Yet research on how breastmilk plus probiotics could prevent NEC is marching ahead, thanks to a group of scientists from the US and China.

Stark state of breastfeeding in conflict settings

13 Sep. 2020

Displacement, stress, maternal malnutrition, family casualties, free distribution of breastmilk substitutes: all compromise breastfeeding where it is urgently needed to protect children from malnutrition and infection. Research findings from Aga Khan University and the Hospital for Sick Children have just been published in BMJ Open.

Becoming (more) Breastfeeding Friendly in Ghana

24 Aug. 2020

New study IDs routes to Becoming (more) Breastfeeding Friendly in Ghana. The International Breastfeeding Journal published the open-access analysis outlining a multi-sector approach to further improving national breastfeeding practices, conducted by a group of BBF researchers.

Breastmilk: Not a vector for SARS-COv-2, in JAMA

19 Aug. 2020

Breastmilk is not a vector for SARS-CoV-2, per study results published in the top ranking, peer reviewed medical journal JAMA. These findings are from a collaborative study launched by the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and supported in part by FLRF.

Mothers’ own milk feeding with PROVIDE

04 Aug. 2020

Rush University Medical Center, with support from FLRF, launches PROVIDE – A Training Compendium on Providing Mothers’ Own Milk in NICU Settings, to help healthcare professionals bring this lifesaving intervention to infants in intensive care worldwide.

Invite to explore PROVIDE: 6 Aug. 2020, WBW

28 Jul. 2020

Are in interested in learning how to bring lifesaving mothers' own milk to infants in intensive care? Register to explore PROVIDE – A Training Compendium on Providing Mothers’ Own Milk in NICU Settings, during World Breastfeeding Week.

Untapped power?

07 Jul. 2020

Researchers analyzing the flow of breastfeeding information on Twitter the uncover promising potential of social networks and social media influencers to promote breastfeeding. Details of their study, led by the University of California San Diego have just been published in Maternal and Child Nutrition.

Breaking news: SARS-CoV-2 via breastmilk unlikely

16 Jun. 2020

Data indicate transmission of SARS-COV-2 from mother to infant via breastmilk is unlikely. These urgently needed findings on breastmilk from infected women have just been shared by the research team led by the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and supported in part by FLRF. Details are in a preprint on medRxiv.

Case study: Health services in Afghanistan

10 Jun. 2020

In 'Maternal and Child Health Services in Afghanistan Amid Long-Term Conflict', Aga Khan University and the Hospital for Sick Children report national resiliency despite ongoing unrest that has compromised the delivery of health services, and they offer recommendations for improvement. Details are in Conflict and Health, part of a series by members and partners of the BRANCH Consortium (Bridging Research and Action in Conflict Settings for the Health of Women and Children), made available for open access by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Calculating the cost of extending paid leave

01 Jun. 2020

How can countries calculate the cost of extending paid maternity leave, and thus improve breastfeeding rates? The June 2020 WHO Bulletin outlines a 5-step, standardized method, developed by the Yale School of Public Health with support from FLRF.

Case study: intervention in conflicts, Pakistan

27 May. 2020

The BMC journal Conflict and Health has just published a case study on maternal and child health in Pakistan, conducted with researchers from Aga Khan University and funded in part by FLRF. It is one of a series conducted by members and partners of the BRANCH Consortium (Bridging Research and Action in Conflict Settings for the Health of Women and Children) and made available for open access by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

TGHN and FLRF Launch LactaHub

05 May. 2020

The Global Health Network and the Family Larsson Rosenquist Foundation launch LactaHub: an open access knowledge platform featuring scientific and evidence-based information on breastfeeding and breastmilk for health professionals.

MMS: Not only during pregnancy?

04 May. 2020

FLRF shares its perspective on the importance of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) throughout the first 1,000-day period, in the latest special report from Sight and Life.

Role of social media in COVID times

28 Apr. 2020

‘Distance, Diffusion, and the Role of Social Media in a Time of COVID Contagion’ – the open access article from Maternal & Child Nutrition illustrates the dissemination of recent information related to breastfeeding and COVID-19 via Twitter.

COVID-19 and NICU safety: in 7 languages

08 Apr. 2020

COVID-19 and NICU safety information is now available in Arabic, Bengali, English, French, Spanish and Urdu. Families with infants in neonatal intensive care units can now access advice on COVID-19 and breastmilk in these 7 languages, thanks to researchers at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.

Critical research: Breastmilk and COVID-19

26 Mar. 2020

The University of California San Diego and FLRF launch critical research into breastmilk and COVID-19.

Science, on mother-breastmilk-infant “triad”

06 Mar. 2020

The journal Science publishes a call for more investigation into the mother-breastmilk-infant “triad”, sent out by the director of the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine with peers in the UK, the US and the WHO. Take a look for an outline on additional research that could improve public health.

Argentina, Kenya and INTERPRACTICE 21st

01 Mar. 2020

Neonatal healthcare settings in Buenos Aires and Lodwar, Kenya are now getting acquainted with the INTERPRACTICE-21st (IP21) Project. Designed to promote optimal postnatal growth of preterm infants until 6 months of age, the international preterm growth standards and evidence-based feeding recommendations are coordinated by the University of Oxford in collaboration with Harvard University, with support from FLRF.

Protection with breastmilk plus probiotics

21 Feb. 2020

Breastmilk plus probiotics may protect low birthweight premature infants from a deadly intestinal disease. Researchers from Boston and Beijing have just published their findings in an open access article, funded in part by a grant from FLRF to the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School.

Ghana adopts INTERGROWTH 21st

28 Jan. 2020

To combat infant mortality, Ghana adopts the INTERGROWTH-21st Preterm Growth Standards and Feeding Protocols (IP21). IP21 is an effort coordinated by the University of Oxford in collaboration with Harvard University to introduce globally validated resources designed to underpin the health and development of infants born preterm.

Exciting implications for egg allergy prevention

17 Jan. 2020

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has published a study conducted by The University of Western Australia and supported in part by FLRF indicating breastmilk may help shield infants from egg allergies.

Samoa implements the BBF initiative

06 Jan. 2020

The International Breastfeeding Journal has released results from Samoa’s implementation of the evidence-informed Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) initiative, developed by the Yale School of Public Health with support from FLRF.

Protective potential: breastmilk against malaria

06 Jan. 2020

For the first time, study results indicate that mothers may be able to naturally vaccinate their breastfeeding infants against malaria - one of the world’s most deadly contagious diseases. The study was conducted by The University of Western Australia with support from FLRF.

Congratulations TEP 2019 awardees!

31 Dec. 2019

The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation and FLRF congratulate and introduce 4 new career development scholarship awardees!

5 research groups win 2020 MOMI Seeds pilot grants!

18 Dec. 2019

The Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence awards a new round of grants totaling USD 250,000 to University of California San Diego researchers.

Prophylaxis antibiotics: No clinical benefit for breastfed HEU infants

14 Nov. 2019

The Lancet Global Health has just published findings from a randomized controlled trial conducted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal investigating the effect of antibiotics on the morbidity and mortality of breastfed HIV-Exposed but Uninfected (HEU) infants in South Africa.

Antibiotics or not? Soon in The Lancet

28 Oct. 2019

Findings from a randomized controlled study conducted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal, with support from FLRF, have the potential to change the current practice of giving fully breastfed HIV-exposed but uninfected infants antibiotics to protect them from childhood infectious illnesses and mortality.

Pre-K12 breastfeeding education?

04 Sep. 2019

To find out if pre-K12 school-based breastfeeding education could influence future breastfeeding rates, researchers surveyed both teachers and students at various schools in Lebanon to help design a suitable educational curriculum. Their findings have been published in 2 open-access articles, supported by the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence at the University of California San Diego.

Primed for panoramic inquiry ...

01 Jul. 2019

... into neurodevelopmental mechanisms influencing child and youth development. The University of Zurich named Professor Giancarlo Natalucci inaugural chairholder of the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Center for Neurodevelopment, Growth and Nutrition of the Newborn – endowed by FLRF and designed to accommodate complex, globally focused research over long-term horizons.

2 scientists win 2019 TEP Trainee Travel Funds

05 Jun. 2019

The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), supported by FLRF, awards Trainee Travel Funds of up to CHF 10,000 to two young talents to advance their current research into breastmilk.

LactaMap goes live!

26 Mar. 2019

This free lactation care support system is now available from FLRF and The University of Western Australia to help medical practitioners caring for breastfeeding mothers and their infants.

Research center for epidemiology of human lactation*

06 Mar. 2019

*Research center implementation plans have been discontinued, due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical developments.

New toolkit to increase access to lifesaving mothers’ milk

01 Mar. 2019

Strengthening Human Milk Banking: A Resource Toolkit for Establishing and Integrating Human Milk Banks, has just been released by a group of international experts under the leadership of FATH and its parent PATH, to improve survival for vulnerable infants.

Congratulations 2019 MOMI Seeds awardees

11 Jan. 2019

Five researchers secure USD 50,000 seed grants from the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence, University of California San Diego, to launch unique investigations into breastmilk and human lactation.

Breastmilk, gut flora colonization and immune systems

14 Dec. 2018

Professor W. Allan Walker, Conrad Taff Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, with support from FLRF, launches an investigation into breastmilk’s protective mechanisms. The aim: to reduce the number of children affected by allergic inflammatory and chronic diseases.

Conducting breastmilk and breastfeeding research ethically

14 Dec. 2018

To ensure breastmilk and breastfeeding research is conducted ethically, the Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine at the University of Zurich, with support from FLRF, initiates development of ethical evaluation standards and a compendium of questions to aid scientists and reviewers in their work.

FLRF at World Health Summit, Grand Challenges Meeting

15 Oct. 2018

Dr. Katharina Lichtner, Managing Director of FLRF, speaks on the “Growth and Resilience: Changing the Paradigm to Save Mothers and Children” panel at the 10th World Health Summit and attends the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2018.

2018 Trainee Expansion Program awardees

11 Oct. 2018

The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation and FLRF announce 2018 TEP awardees and open applications for 2019 TEP scholarships during the 19th ISRHML Conference in Kanagawa, Japan.

Exploring hormones’ role in breastmilk production

03 Oct. 2018

The University of Oxford initiates research on the endocrinology of human lactation – laying the foundation for a permanent research hub at the Oxford Women’s Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, to be endowed by FLRF.

FLRF attending: 73rd session, UN General Assembly

24 Sep. 2018

FLRF attends two important events during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly: UHC Conference and ICM UNGA Midwifery Champions Reception.

New evidence-based reference book on human lactation

19 Sep. 2018

Breastfeeding and Breast Milk – from Biochemistry to Impact, explores the multifaceted, multidisciplinary and complex world of breastfeeding and breastmilk. Just published by FLRF at Thieme,

Adding evidence to nutritional advice for breastfeeding

18 Sep. 2018

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, with support from FLRF, begins a study on the connections between maternal metabolism and dietary composition, and an infant’s metabolome, growth and health outcomes for evidence-based dietary recommendations.

Getting more ‘MOM’ to more infants in NICUs

18 Sep. 2018

Rush University Medical Center, with support from FLRF, is removing barriers to mothers’ own milk (MOM) – a vital resource for preterm and other babies hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units.

LactaPedia: New online glossary of lactation for science and medicine

02 Aug. 2018

What is a breastfeed? The definition of a breastfeed varies widely and this affects both our understanding of its function and our medical care for breastfeeding. The University of Western Australia and FLRF launch LactaPedia to end confusion in the language of lactation, which includes ‘breastfeeding’ and ‘breastmilk’.

Breastfeeding in conflict settings to save lives

05 Jun. 2018

New research aims to save the lives of babies living through conflict and in refugee situations by supporting their mothers to continue breastfeeding. The study, funded by FLRF, is being conducted by The Aga Khan University in Pakistan and the Hospital for Sick Children in Canada.

Study for better breastfeeding outcomes after C-sections

02 May. 2018

The University Children’s Hospital Basel, in close cooperation with the University Hospital of Zurich and with support from the University Hospital Basel, Cantonal Hospital Baden, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen and FLRF, investigates whether the mild induction of labor before caesarean sections helps infant primary adaptation, bonding and lactation, resulting in improved neonatal and maternal outcomes.

World’s first center for behavioral economics of breastfeeding

22 Feb. 2018

What empowers women to breastfeed? What obstacles to successful breastfeeding do women, families or even entire communities encounter? What are the causal effects of breastfeeding on child development and family dynamics? Researchers will tackle these and other consequential questions at the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Center for Economics of Breastfeeding, established by the University of Zurich and FLRF.

Building breastfeeding-friendly countries with BBF

23 Jan. 2018

Eight countries and counting have implemented Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF): A Guide to Global Scale-Up, to increase breastfeeding rates around the world. Developed by the Yale School of Public Health, with support from FLRF.

Raising awareness: Breastfeeding and allergy prevention

17 Jan. 2018

The aha! Swiss Allergy Centre, with support from FLRF, expands education measures for healthcare professionals and the general public about breastfeeding’s leading role in allergy prevention.

Can colostrum help prevent allergies and metabolic diseases?

01 Jan. 2018

The University of Western Australia, with support from FLRF, launches a study to discover how colostrum, the first fluid produced by the mammary gland, impacts a newborn’s gut immune system development and health in adulthood.

Investigating 4 herbal galactagogues

01 Jun. 2017

Therapeutic or toxic? These are the questions the Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research, with support from FLRF, is asking about four herbal galactagogues commonly used by breastfeeding mothers: goat’s rue, fenugreek, thistle and moringa.

A new look at antibiotics for HIV-exposed infants

16 Jan. 2017

Are current antibiotic guidelines also appropriate for exclusively breastfed, HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) infants? The University of KwaZulu-Natal, with support from FLRF, launches a study to determine whether fully breastfed HEU infants need antibiotics to protect them from childhood infectious illnesses and mortality.

Launching LRF MOMI CORE at UCSD

12 Jan. 2017

How can breastmilk help prevent and treat the world’s most common – yet deadly – diseases? The University of California San Diego and FLRF established the first-ever interdisciplinary research hub looking toward breastmilk for answers to these questions and more: the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research.

INTERGROWTH-21st for preterm infants

23 Nov. 2016

The INTERGROWTH-21st Preterm Growth Standards and Feeding Protocols are coordinated by the University of Oxford with support from FLRF. The expanding suite of resources is for clinicians and researchers and is aimed at improving preterm infant health outcomes globally.

New collaboration cultivates next generation of research talent

04 Mar. 2016

The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML) and FLRF join forces for the Trainee Expansion Program – an international career development campaign offering scholarships to researchers interested in launching or advancing their careers in field of breastfeeding and breastmilk.

World’s first chair in human lactology, in biochemistry

07 Jul. 2015

Endowed down under: The University of Western Australia is home to a new chair dedicated to human lactation, breastfeeding and breastmilk, following an endowment from FLRF.