Leveraging cells in milk to determine the molecular underpinnings of human lactation

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The early days of life sets the scene for an individual's long-term health. Human milk provides the best source of nutritional, developmental and immune support for the infant; thus, breastfeeding is recommended by the World Health Organisation for the first 12 months of an infant's life. Despite the clear importance of human lactation, it remains a greatly understudied area. During my career, I have discovered that human milk contains live breast cells that, with further study, can help us to better understand how milk is produced. Within my proposed research programme, I aim to build computer based and laboratory-grown models of the human lactation process. By comparing the different nutritional and cellular components of milk, I will identify commonalities and characterise how different maternal backgrounds might modify milk production. In addition, I will make a lab-grown model allowing me to verify findings from the computational model and determine how milk is made. I will use these models to explore central questions in human lactation such as why some women can't produce milk, how milk composition differs between individuals, which drugs affect milk production and what the long term changes in the breast are as a result of lactation. Results obtained by my research will not only increase our understanding of how human lactation works but will identify strategies to improve breastfeeding, particularly in women with low supply, to improve the long-term health outcomes of women and children.