Mothers, Infants & Lactation Quality Research: The MILQ-Lab

Human milk is the gold standard of infant nutrition, yet the science of understanding its full nutrient composition — and its drivers — remains an evolving area of research. At the MILQ-Lab, located at the USDA, ARS - Western Human, Nutrition Research Center and lead by Dr. Lindsay H. Allen and Dr. Daniela Hampel, we are dedicated to advancing the measurement and understanding human milk composition and the nutritional status of mothers and infants worldwide. Through rigorous method development, targeted metabolomics, and large-scale international studies — including the Mothers, Infants and Lactation Quality (MILQ) study — we generated evidence needed to establish global reference values for human milk nutrients, evaluate the impact of maternal supplementation and diet, and identify micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations across developing countries. Our work bridges analytical chemistry and global public health, translating laboratory precision into life-changing nutrition policy. While our core focus is maternal and infant nutrition, we welcome collaboration more broadly across any population where micronutrient status is a central concern — if that resonates with your work or if your research intersects with ours, please contact us, we'd love to hear more.