Science Friday Breast Milk Is Understudied. What Are Scientists Learning Now?
Aug 14, 2025
Join Shelley McGuire, a professor from the University of Idaho, and Deepshika Ramanan, an assistant professor at the Salk Institute, as they dive into the fascinating world of breast milk. They explore its unique composition and its vital role in infant immunity. Discover how breast milk adapts to a baby's needs, the evolutionary advantages of breastfeeding, and the global variations in milk composition. The discussion also addresses maternal cannabis use and the societal stigma surrounding breastfeeding choices, highlighting the need for more research and support.
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Milk Is Bioactive And Variable
- Breast milk is bioactive and contains live cells and oligosaccharides unique to each mother.
- We still lack mechanistic understanding of how milk customizes to infant needs.
Variation Doesn’t Equal Known Value
- Milk composition varies between women, within feeds, and across populations worldwide.
- We don't yet know which variations are biologically important for infant outcomes.
Live Immune Cells In Milk
- Researchers found live T cells in human milk that may migrate from the maternal gut.
- The function of these migrating immune cells for infants remains unknown.