Human Milk Science Institute and Biobank

03/09/2026

New study explores intranasal administration of mother’s milk in babies after hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy?

The rationale is compelling: human milk contains stem cells, growth factors, anti-inflammatory mediators, and neurotrophic factors, and intranasal delivery may allow biologically active components to reach the brain through olfactory pathways.

Treatment tolerated in all 10 babies in this pilot study

Many mechanisms involved in preterm IVH overlap with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term infants—neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired repair.

Could intranasal mother’s milk become a simple adjunctive neuroprotective therapy for term infants with HIE?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41776367/

10/03/2025

A highlight of the week. While touring the milk bank, Pitt Nutrition students also learned about the biobank and the cutting edge work that we support.

10/01/2025

“On average, families in our studies were found to perform skin-to-skin care every 2-3 days for about an hour each time,” Travis told Medscape Medical News. “When I reflect on how much I held my own children as newborns, these amounts seem shockingly low. There are many barriers that make it difficult for families to engage in skin-to-skin care consistently, and my hope is that our findings are used to advocate for changes at the hospital, policy, and caregiver support levels that make it easier for families to be involved in caring for their preterm infants,”

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/preemies-brains-benefit-more-skin-skin-contact-2025a1000q6t

New data show an association between longer periods of skin-to-skin contact and greater brain growth.

09/30/2025

Why our biobank program exists! Human milk is one of the most complex and powerful substances we know yet it remains deeply understudied. A recent Science Friday feature explores what scientists are uncovering about milk’s role in immunity, nutrition, and infant development, and why more research is urgently needed.

https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/science-of-breast-milk/

There are a lot of claims about breast milk, but we know little about this sophisticated substance. Two researchers update us on the latest.

09/25/2025

"When preemies are on the edge of viability, and extremely low birth weight, that's when they seem to be the most susceptible to the effects of storage and can be most protected by having fresher milk,"

https://web.musc.edu/about/news-center/2025/09/24/donor-milk-storage

Could the way we preserve donor milk shape preemie gut health? A new MUSC study connects the dots between storage practices and GI outcomes.

07/08/2025

New research reveals how human milk IgA shapes infant immunity—by limiting Erysipelatoclostridium ramosum, a gut microbe that triggers Th17 responses linked to allergies. More proof that breastmilk does so much more than nourish! 🍼🦠

👉 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2501030122

Background Globally, 15 − 20% of all live births are low birthweight (LBW) newborns, and many mothers with LBW newborns experience feeding difficulties. Efforts to understand and mitigate the barriers to breastfeeding among this vulnerable group are urgently needed. Methods Mother-newborn pairs ...

06/19/2025

Honoring with community-led solutions in Black maternal health! 👏🏾🤱🏾 Check out 's case study on the Malone initiative.

Compassion Health Care, Inc. primary care, urgent care, psychiatry, behavioral health in Caswell County and Rockingham County. 336-694-9331

06/06/2025

🍼 New study reveals dynamic shifts in whey protein phosphorylation from colostrum to mature human milk. Colostrum: immune & inflammatory focus; Mature milk: metabolic & immune homeostasis. Highlights need for stage-specific infant formulas.
🔗 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c02473

06/03/2025

New research alert 🚼🧪
Human milk cortisol may play a key role in infant growth! A new study finds milk cortisol is inversely associated with infant BMI and mediates the link between maternal and infant cortisol levels.
More reason to study milk as a dynamic signal, not just nutrition.
📖 Int. J. Obesity (2025)


🔗

The pathways through which milk cortisol affects infant body weight and adiposity remain poorly understood. To assess the influence of maternal weight status on maternal cortisol concentrations and infant outcomes; to evaluate the relationship between maternal plasma and milk cortisol concentrations...

05/19/2025

🍼✨ This (May 19), let’s celebrate donor milk as LIFESAVING therapy for fragile infants!

✅ Prevents NEC & infections
✅ Fills critical gaps when mom’s milk isn’t available
✅ Demand growing for NICU babies

Be a hero like a blood donor 💛 Find your local milk bank: https://www.hmbana.org/find-a-milk-bank/

Are you looking for a place to donate your extra breast milk? Giving it to a nonprofit milk bank helps fragile infants.

05/19/2025

NEW research shows:
Breastfeeding reduces baby's risk of SIDS, infections & chronic diseases and lowers mom's cancer/diabetes risk too.
Yet ONLY 18% of FL moms meet 6-month goal. Support = healthcare. Full findings: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-breastfeeding-health-benefits-babies-mothers.html