Research

Our research focuses on improving our understanding of how micronutrient nutrition supports the health of mothers and infants. Fundamental to our work is human milk—how its nutrient composition reflects maternal nutritional status and how it can best support infant growth and development.

We develop and apply innovative methods to measure micronutrients in human milk and have established evidence-based reference values through the MILQ Study that can guide research, policy, and programs worldwide. In parallel, our research examines the role of key nutrients such as vitamin B12, exploring advanced tools including novel biomarkers (e.g., the composite indicator of B12 status, cB12) and targeted metabolomics to better assess nutritional status and function. We also assess population nutritional status, particularly in maternal and child nutrition contexts, to better understand patterns of deficiency and inform interventions at scale. Together, these approaches are essential for understanding the dynamic relationship within the mother–milk–infant triad and how maternal nutrition influences both milk composition and infant outcomes.

Through a wide network of interdisciplinary collaborations worldwide, we work with partners in diverse settings to study maternal and child nutrition and to evaluate how maternal diet and supplementation influence milk quality and the health of exclusively breastfed infants.