Research
The Human Milk Research Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is headed by Ardythe L. Morrow, PhD. Dr. Morrow is the Director of the Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics and is the Principal Investigator for the NICHD-funded program project entitled "The Role of Human Milk in Infant Nutrition and Health" (P01 HD013021). This study was initiated in 1979 and focuses on the mechanisms by which human milk protects infants against infectious disease. Researchers working on this project are from all over the world and routinely publish their findings at prestigious scientific meetings and in prominent journals.
To further facilitate human milk research, Dr. Morrow has developed the Cincinnati Children's Research Human Milk Bank, the nation's first repository for the donation of human milk to be used exclusively for research purposes. The purpose of this milk bank is to increase the accessibility of human milk for scientific studies. Women donate their extra breast milk to the bank at various times throughout the course of their lactation. In addition, associated with the milk bank is a core data set that provides useful clinical characterization of each milk sample. Researchers wishing to utilize the samples submit a scientific proposal which undergoes a careful review process. Human milk samples from the bank are currently being used to study the relationship of bioactive factors in human milk with outcomes such as:
- Infectious disease
- Adiposity
- Atopy
- Endocrine function
- Lactation performance
For more information about the Center for Breastfeeding Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, or to schedule an appointment with the Breastfeeding Medicine Clinic, contact 513-636-CFBM or 513-636-2326.
