Genetics of Human Milk Production
Breast feeding is widely accepted as the best way for infants to get the nutrition they need to grow and develop. Many factors contribute to the content of a mother’s milk. In the MILK (Mothers and Infants Linked for Healthy Growth) study, researchers are working to describe the systems biology of human milk and identify novel pathways linking maternal nutritional and health status to infant growth and development. Researchers using MSI have recently published a paper using data from this study in the journal Cell Genomics that describes genetic factors affecting the mother, her milk, and the baby’s gut microbiome. This knowledge provides data important to ensuring infants get the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.
The MSI PIs who are co-authors on the paper include:
- Associate Professor Dan Knights (BioTechnology Institute; Computer Science and Engineering)
- Associate Professor Cheryl A. Gale (Pediatrics)
- Assistant Professor Frank W. Albert (Genetics, Cell Biology and Development)
- Professor Ellen Demerath (Epidemiology and Community Health)
- Associate Professor Ran Blekhman (University of Chicago)
Lead author Dr. Kelsey Johnson (Genetics, Cell Biology and Development) uses MSI as part of the Albert, Demerath, and Blekhman groups.
The paper can be found on the journal website: Kelsey E. Johnson, Timothy Heisel, Mattea Allert, Annalee Fürst, Nikhila Yerabandi, Dan Knights, Katherine M. Jacobs, Eric F. Lock, Lars Bode, David A. Fields, Michael C. Rudolph, Cheryl A. Gale, Frank W. Albert, Ellen W. Demerath, Ran Blekhman. Human milk variation is shaped by maternal genetics and impacts the infant gut microbiome. Cell Genomics 4(10): 100638 (2024). doi: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100638.
A story about this research first appeared on the website of the College of Biological Sciences: The role genes play in mother’s milk and baby’s health. The story was reprinted on the website of the School of Public Health.
Image description: Graphical abstract of the project. Image and description, Johnson KE et al. Cell Genomics 4(10): 100638 (2024). doi: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100638.
