Origins and Benefits of Biologically Active Components in Human Milk

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PROJECT SUMMARY The 5th FASEB Science Research Conference (SRC) on “Origins and Benefits of Biologically Active Components in Human Milk” in Melbourne, Florida, June 4-9, 2023, will be a gathering of professionals who wish to deepen their understanding of this scientific topic. The conference will bring together previous and new speakers/attendees to promote diversity of thought in this space. The conference has a strong inter-disciplinary nature, with stakeholders from industry, academia and government coming together to better understand human milk as a complex biological system with the ultimate goal of improving maternal & infant health. A majority of the conference sessions will address key scientific research themes and objectives outlined in the NICHD Strategic Plan 2020: “Of unique interest to the institute [NICHD] is a better understanding of the composition and function of human milk, the effect of maternal nutrition and length of gestation on human milk composition and lactation, and the optimal source of nutrition and mode if nutrient delivery to the infant, especially preterm infants.” In addition, the conference addresses one of the ten aspirational goals in the NICHD Strategic Plan 2020: “Optimize infant survival by synthesizing human milk, capturing all its components and properties, and individualizing it to the characteristics of the infant’s mother.” Understanding the origins and benefits of human milk components is also relevant to NIH institutes other than NICHD as they affect gut health and development and metabolic diseases (NIDDK) and protect from allergy and infectious diseases (NIAID). In fact, human milk components may serve as templates for novel, safe and effective treatments for diseases in people of all ages and, therefore, be of relevance to many of the other NIH institutes. Finally, the conference will offer a strong “career development” focus, supporting students and early career investigators with their professional ambitions. We therefore specifically aim to subsidize registration and travel of invited speakers in the early career investigator category and provide travel awards for students with outstanding abstracts, posters and oral presentations. Supporting the next generation of researchers, clinicians and educators in the field of human milk and lactation will ensure that NICHD’s current objectives and aspirational goals will be met not only today, but also in the future.