LRF Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding

About us

Welcome

An introduction from Professor Valerie Verhasselt, Director of the Larsson Rosenquist Foundation Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding

Vision

Making human milk the gold standard for children's immune health.

By this, we mean ensuring that:

Human milk promotes child health worldwide
Where appropriate, preventive and therapeutic strategies for children are inspired by human milk

Mission

Build a holistic understanding of how breastfeeding practices and human milk composition influence healthy immune development.

This knowledge will enable healthcare providers to make recommendations to parents to improve child health worldwide.

Our research

Why translational research into breastfeeding if we already know that human milk is the best?

By learning from human milk, we can revolutionize how we care for newborns, offering interventions that are truly aligned with their developmental needs.

Today, most treatments for newborns are the same as for adults, i.e. mainly the dose is modified. However, we are learning more every day about the differences between a newborn and an adult, and breast milk has known this for a long time. By studying the immunology of breastfeeding, our research has shown that human milk may know the best way to promote mucosal immunity in infants.

(Macchiaverni et al., 2024; van den Elsen et al., 2022)
To provide advice to mothers and health professionals to maximise the chances of disease prevention through breastfeeding.

From pollutants to infection and dietary habits, the constituents of breast milk encapsulate a snapshot of the maternal environment, providing infants with a preview of the world they will inhabit. By investigating how human milk composition influences healthy immune development, we are paving the way for personalized advice that can help mothers maximise disease prevention through breastfeeding. Our research has suggested that consuming allergens while breastfeeding may be the best way to prevent allergies in children. Ongoing clinical trials led by our collaborator A/Prof Debbie Palmer should soon tell us whether this suggestion can become a recommendation.
Provide strong evidence to invest in breastfeeding support.

Despite the World Health Organization's (WHO) guidelines promoting early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding, at least a third of newborns worldwide aren't benefiting from this optimal feeding practice, due to late initiation of breastfeeding or the administration of formula "supplements" that replace colostrum intake. We already know that colostrum is essential for reducing neonatal mortality in low resources settings. Our ongoing research will establish the importance of colostrum in preventing allergies, parasitic infections, stunted growth and much more.

Our research programmes

Establishing the role of human milk in healthy child development

A healthy immune system mounts appropriate and efficient immune responses that protect us from pathogens, cancer, allergies, autoimmunity, inflammatory bowel disease and malnutrition.

The objective of our research is to gain a deeper understanding of how colostrum feeding and human milk composition support the child’s developing immune system, and how it contributes to shaping the immune trajectory and lifelong health.

Figure description: Specifically, we have two main programmes: One investigating the benefits of colostrum feeding on child long term health and the other on how we can target breastmilk composition to maximize child health.

What are our main discoveries?

Colostrum is required for gut immune development and successful anti-helminth defences

Colostrum is required for gut immune development and successful anti-helminth defences (Rekima et al., 2024)

Worldwide, more than 1.5 billion people, or 25% of the world's population, are infected with soil-transmitted helminths, and infected children are nutritionally and physically impaired, with major societal and economic consequences.

In a unique preclinical model of colostrum deprivation, Rekima et al (2024) showed that colostrum is essential for the expansion of key immune cells in the gut for helminth infection control (type 2 innate lymphoid immune cells). Microbiota was not required for this. We also showed in a proof-of-concept birth cohort in Uganda that providing the first drops of colostrum to a newborn is associated with a major decrease in helminth infections in childhood.

In conclusion, our study provides new evidence on how to reduce a major disease burden, helminth infection: promote colostrum feeding! This study highlights that we can learn from colostrum to design interventions tailored to neonates that promote health (and go beyond microbiota intervention).

Colostrum: a long-lasting gut immunity booster
Colostrum feeding may be critical to reducing the burden of undernutrition

Watch the video
Current strategies for undernutrition prevention focus on intervention at the time of complementary feeding, while stunting often starts earlier. We hypothesised that the crosstalk between colostrum and the gut microbiota is critical for healthy growth, based on the timing of colostrum intake when the gut gets colonized with bacteria, and on its content of high levels of microbiota-shaping compounds. To address this question, we developed a preclinical model of colostrum deprivation. Experiment was performed in both SPF and germ-free mice. Van den Elsen et al demonstrated that the absence of colostrum feeding at birth decapitated the phenotype of chronic undernutrition, with growth hormone resistance, systemic inflammation, low leptin, high lipids. This phenotype was associated with significantly change in the alpha and beta diversity if the gut microbiota. However, we reproduced the same phenotype in colostrum deprived germ-free mice. Our work will stimulate research to identify which factors in colostrum promote growth and open new avenues for promoting healthy growth in vulnerable newborns, such as for preterm who are often fed (mature) donor human milk instead of mother’s own colostrum and milk.

Diet at birth is critical for healthy growth, independent of effects on the gut microbiotia
Colostrum and IgA are most effective in protecting against COVID-19 infection

Newborns will remain the only immunologically naïve and vulnerable population as long as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate and infect us, probably for a long time. We therefore need a specific approach to COVID-19 prevention in newborns. In a birth cohort from Spain, Macchiaverni et al., showed that the highest protective activity of human milk against COVID-19 was found in the colostrum of infected mothers and depended on anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA. Our findings support the need to evaluate maternal mucosal COVID-19 vaccination to promote IgA secretion at mucosal sites, including breast milk, for best child protection. They highlight the importance of promoting support for successful breastfeeding initiation. Despite WHO guidelines, a high proportion of newborns are still not fully colostrum-fed, especially if their mothers are infected with COVID-19.

Protective effect of human milk against COVID-19 depends on anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA and is highest in colostrum
Pathogen antigen shedding in breast milk to vaccinate infants

Based on our observation that some antigens in maternal milk stimulate a long-term immune response in the offspring (Baiz et al., 2017; Macchiaverni et al., 2014; Rekima et al., 2020), we proposed that the transfer of microbial antigens in breast milk may be the most efficient way to vaccinate infants (Marchant et al., 2017; van den Elsen et al., 2022; Verhasselt, 2015). Pathogen in breast milk would be the perfect attenuated vaccine or pathogens antigens would be surrounded by adjuvants designed for the developing infant mucosa. We proved the premises of this hypothesis in the context of Malaria by showing that malaria antigens are found in human milk (van den Elsen, et al. 2022).

diagram showing pathogen antigen shedding in breast milk to vaccinate infants
Educating the immune system through breast milk for allergy prevention

In 2008, we challenged the paradigm of allergen avoidance for allergy prevention and demonstrated that egg allergen shedding in maternal milk would educate the infant immune system and decrease egg allergy susceptibility (Verhasselt et al., 2008). We confirmed this in a birth cohort study (Verhasselt et al., 2020). We further elucidated the factors required to increase allergy prevention by allergen shedding in breastmilk such as Vitamin A (Turfkruyer et al., 2016) and TGF-beta in breastmilk (Rekima et al., 2017) or maternal immunization (Adel-Patient et al., 2020; Mosconi et al., 2010). Recently, we have uncovered an unexpected risk factor for respiratory but also food allergy: respiratory house dust mite allergens in breast milk (Baiz et al., 2017; Macchiaverni et al., 2014; Rekima et al., 2020). Our recent review in the first-ranked journal in Allergy (JACI) highlights the importance of allergens in breast milk for immune system education (Macchiaverni et al., 2021). This knowledge will guide infant-tailored preventive approaches to efficiently decrease the burden of allergy (Macchiaverni et al., 2021).

Exogenous sources of antigens in human milk

Our priorities in the next 5 years

Target vulnerable populations
Bring knowledge on the importance of breastfeeding in healthy skin development
Promote allergy prevention through Breastfeeding
Prioritize our partnerships with Asia

Meet our team

Prof Valerie Verhasselt

Director of the LRF-Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding

My passion is to learn from Nature to find the best solutions to promote healthy immune development. With a background in Internal Medicine and more than 20 years of research in Immunology, I want to put the mother-child dialogue through breast milk at the heart of understanding how to reduce the burden of child disease in both high and low-income countries, including allergies, malaria, worm infections, and growth failure. I strongly value creativity and discovery research. Not having a specific goal allows you to be completely open, discover what you did not expect, and marvel at it. And it's in this sense of wonder and freedom of mind that the most beautiful ideas are born, ideas that, without meaning to, can change the world. Importantly, as a Team leader, it is a source of immense gratification to contribute to the empowerment of my team members, to make them aware of their huge potential and to see them blossom.

Further information

Dr Patricia Macchiaverni

Program Manager

I am a biologist with a background in Immunology and extensive experience in clinical and translational research in both academic and industrial settings. My academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences and Education, followed by a Ph.D. in Immunology. After completing my PhD in 2012, I worked for four years as a Senior Scientific Manager in multinational pharmaceutical companies, where I gained valuable expertise in project management, team leadership, and effective communication of scientific data to diverse audiences. In 2017 I joined the LRF-CIBF as a Research Fellow, investigating the link between breastfeeding and allergy prevention in children. Now, as a Programme Manager at LRF-CIBF, my goal is to promote global excellence, foster collaboration, and facilitate communication. I'm all about making science fun and impactful!

Further information

Savannah Machado

Research Assistant

As an enthusiastic research assistant at the LRF-CIBF, I have flourished in our dynamic environment. Beginning as a volunteer in 2019, I pursued a master's degree in Biomedical Science, and eventually transitioned into my current research assistant role. This journey has allowed me to delve deeper into exploring colostrum's role in food allergy prevention, with a current focus on the prevention of egg and peanut allergies, through pre-clinical models. Infant health and development have long been my primary research passions, driving my efforts to understand and promote early-life factors essential for optimal growth and disease prevention.

Further information

Professor Wayne Thomas

Honorary researcher

I am an emeritus professor at the University of Western Australia and an emeritus research fellow at the Kids Research Institute Australia. I previously served as a senior principal research fellow with the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and earned my PhD from the University of Western Australia. Following that, I completed postdoctoral research at the Medical Research Council Clinical Research Centre in London and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne. Since 1984, my research has focused on the immunology of allergy and infectious diseases in children, as well as experimental models, based in Perth at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. I was also a founding member of what is now known as The Kids Research Institute Australia. I am widely recognized for my work in determining the structures and immune responses to house dust mite allergens and their epitopes. My broader research interests have spanned seminal cellular studies of cytokine production, immunological tolerance, experimental immunotherapy, and cat allergy. More recently, I have explored immune responses to viral and bacterial infections that precede the development of childhood asthma.

Further information

Students

Collaborators and funders

Global Human Milk Research Consortium (GHMRC)

Our team is proud to be one of the five independent research centres that make up the prestigious Global Human Milk Research Consortium (GHMRC). Working together, we are committed to advancing the frontiers of human milk and breastfeeding research on a global scale, making a meaningful contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and WHO Global Targets.

Global Human Milk Research Consortium
The ORIGINS Project

The ORIGINS Project is the largest study of its kind in Australia, following 10,000 children, from their time in the womb, over a decade to improve child and adult health. Our Centre has two ongoing sub-projects using the ORIGINS cohort: the GAP study (Gateway for Allergy Prevention) and CEED study (Colostrum Exclusivity and Early Development).

The Origins Project
Our main collaborators
- Public health - Pete Gething and Dr Susan Rumisha, Geospatial Health and Development team, TKI; Sofa Rahmania, PhD, UWA, Prof. Rosalind Gibson and Prof. Lisa Houghton, New Zealand.
- Pediatricians - including Prof. Suzan Prescott (School of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia), Dr. Ravisha Srinivasjois ( Joondalup Health Campus) Prof. Desiree Silva (The Kids Research Institute Australia and Joondalup Health Campus);, Prof George du Toit (Kings College London, UK), Dr Stéphanie De Smet (Hopital de l’Archet, France)
- Dietician - experts in child nutrition and allergy prevention: A/Prof Carina Venter (University of Colorado, USA); Dr Debbie Palmer (The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Australia); Dr Therese O Sullivan (Edith Cowan University, Perth)
- Lactation - consultants Louisa Connoly, president of Lactation college (Perth, Australia) ; Kirsten Tannenbaum, Australian Breastfeeding Association (Australia)
- Infectious disease - Dr. Thomas Egwang (Kampala, Uganda) project on colostrum and helminth/ breast milk and malaria; Dr Tim Barnett (The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Australia), Nelly Amenyogbe and Prof. Tobias Kollmann (Dalhousie University, Canada) colostrum and sepsis; Rick Maizels, Glasgow University, helminth infection; A/Prof. Lea- Ann Kirkham ear health among Aboriginal children (TKI). Juan Rodriguez, Madrid University and Dr. Allison Imrie, UWA, Breast milk and COVID-19; Dr. Leshan Wannigama- Thailand.
- Neurodevelopment - Prof. Giancarlo Natalucci ( Zurich University)
- Health economics - Prof. David Yanagizawa-Drott (Zurich University)
- Biochemistry - Dr. Lars Bode (UCSD) and Dr. Fadil Hannan (Oxford)
- Microbiota - Prof. David Lynn, (SAMHRI); Dr. Claus Christopherson (Curtin University, Perth, Australia); Remy Burcelin, Inserm, France
- Transcriptomic analysis - Dr. Tom Iosidifis and Dr. Patricia Agudelo, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Epigenetics - Dr. David Martino, The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Skin - Mark Fear UWA, Prof Fiona Wood, UWA, and Asha Bowen, The Kids Research Institute Australia Perth
Funders
CIBF is one of the five chairs endowed by the generous donation of the Family Larsson Rosenquist Foundation By providing financial independence in perpetuity, this endowment enables us to pursue panoramic research with long horizons, in complete independence and freedom of research and teaching.

We are also grateful to receive grant support from:
- Western Australia Child Research Foundation
- Future Health Research and Innovation Focus Grant
- Channel 7 Telethon Trust
- The Kids Research Institute Australia collaborative award
- Westfarmer Centre of vaccines and Infectious Disease (WCID) seed and partnership grant

Global network

Map depicting recent locations of external collaboration and top research areas from the last five years on country/territory level

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Map of recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into the details by visiting Professor Verhasselt's research profile network map

Find out more

Signature strengths

Our centre takes a collaborative, multidisciplinary, translational approach to provide a holistic understanding of the impact of breastfeeding on infant immunity. Our key strengths are:

Our centre has developed unique experimental models to understand complex biological processes related to breastfeeding's influence on infant immune development. These models provide invaluable insights into the mechanisms underlying maternal milk's influence on immune development.

We possess a rare expertise in newborn immunology and specialize in the analysis of human milk , including allergens and immunomodulatory compounds. This expertise allows us to unravel the intricate interactions between breast milk components and the developing immune system.

We have access to multiple large-scale birth cohort data sets from both high and low incomes settings, enabling us to verify our findings from the preclinical model and to guide our future fundamental research

Based at The Kids Research Institute Australia and affiliated to The University of Western Australia, our center benefits from world-class facilities, an esteemed academic community, and opportunities to mentor future researchers in children’s health.

We owe much of our success to the generous financial support and strategic guidance of the Larsson Rosenquist Foundation.

Strategic pillars

Innovation:: We challenge existing dogma to provide newborns with personalized strategies tailored to their developmental age.

Collaboration:: We foster collaborative international, multidisciplinary, and translational research to make high-impact discoveries.

Communication:: Through a combination of publication in prestigious journals, presentation to a wide audience, and strong consumer involvement, we ensure that our findings reach those who can implement them and benefit communities worldwide.

Our values

We embrace humanity through the values of respect, kindness, openness, and generosity.

We are committed to excellence, learning from the experiences of others, from our mistakes, and always striving to do better.

We value teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that the wonders of serendipity in discovery research lead to effective solutions for all.

Publications

The centre in numbers over the last 7 years

31 publications
12 publications in the top 10% of journals

Infection
1. Colostrum is required for the postnatal ontogeny of small intestine innate lymphoid type 2 cells and successful anti-helminth defences. Rekima A, van den Elsen L, Isnard C, Smyth DJ, Lynn MA, Yee T, Stevens NE, Machado S, Divakara N, Bhasin M, Tjiam MC, Rowel C, Servant F, Burcelin R, Locksley R, Maizels R, Lynn DJ, Egwang T, Verhasselt V. 2024. IF 14. Top 1% Journal: This publication shows for the very first time that the diet at birth, colostrum is critical for long term health, and particularly the prevention of helminth infection. A huge burden of disease affecting 25% of the population and leading to dramatic developmental issues in children.
1. Malaria Antigen Shedding in the Breast Milk of Mothers from a Region With Endemic Malaria. van den Elsen LWJ, Verhasselt V, Egwang T. JAMA Pediatr. 2020. IF 26. Top 1% Journal: This study brings a novel concept of possible malaria prevention through the presence of malaria antigens in breastmilk.
1. Per Os to Protection - targeting the oral route to enhance immune-mediated protection from disease of the human newborn. Verhasselt V, Marchant A, & Kollmann T. R. J Mol Biol 2024.
1. Maternal immunisation: collaborating with mother nature. Marchant A, Sadarangani M, Garand M, Dauby N, Verhasselt V, et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017.
1. The neonatal window of opportunity-early priming for life. Renz H, Adkins BD, Bartfeld S, Blumberg RS, Farber DL, Garssen J, Ghazal P, Hackam DJ, Marsland BJ, McCoy KD, Penders J, Prinz I, Verhasselt V, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018.
1. Microbial antigen in human milk: a natural vaccine? van den Elsen LWJ, Kollmann TR, Verhasselt V. Mucosal Immunol. 2022.
1. Specific IgA, But Not IgG, in Human Milk From COVID-19-infected Mothers Neutralizes SARS-CoV-2. Macchiaverni P, Lloyd M, Masters L, Divakara N, Panta K, Imrie A, Sánchez-García L, Pellicer A, Rodriguez JM, Verhasselt V. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2024.
Allergy
1. * Preventing food allergy in infancy and childhood: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials. de Silva D, Halken S, Singh C, Muraro A, Angier E, Arasi S… Verhasselt V, et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2020. IF 7. Top 10% journal: This guideline precedes the establishment of EAACI guidelines on food allergy prevention.
2. * A role for early oral exposure to house dust mite allergens through breast milk in IgE-mediated food allergy susceptibility. Rekima A, Bonnart C, Macchiaverni P, Metcalfe J, Tulic MK, Halloin N, Rekima S, Genuneit J, Zanelli S, Medeiros S, Palmer DJ, Prescott S, Verhasselt V. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020. IF 14. Top 1% Journal: In this publication we propose a paradigm shift: the presence of respiratory allergen in breastmilk from house dust mites, may represent a risk factor for food allergy. We have identified the mechanisms in the mice, which provides new targets to tackle for allergy prevention in breastfed children. We have also shown preliminary evidence of these findings in a birth cohort. This publication has been selected to be presented as Editor Choice to be published in the Issue of May 2020.
3. * Ovalbumin in breastmilk is associated with a decreased risk of IgE-mediated egg allergy in children. Verhasselt V, Genuneit J, Metcalfe JR, Tulic MK, Rekima A, Palmer DJ, Prescott SL. Allergy. 2020. IF 14, top 1% journal: This work is the translation of a study Prof. Valerie Verhasselt published in Nature Medicine, which proposed a novel concept of allergy prevention through oral tolerance induction through breastfeeding using a preclinical model. Here, we demonstrate for the first to demonstrate that having egg antigen in breastmilk may decrease egg allergy risk in children. This is a major step towards the identification of factors contributing to allergy prevention through breastmilk.
4. Maternal diet during breastfeeding: Could it influence food allergy risk in children? Macchiaverni P, Divakara N, Verhasselt V. Encyclopedia of Food Allergy. 2024.
5. Long-term reduction in food allergy susceptibility in mice by combining breastfeeding-induced tolerance and TGF-beta-enriched formula after weaning. Rekima A, Macchiaverni P, Turfkruyer M, Holvoet S, Dupuis L, Baiz N, Annesi-Maesano I, Mercenier A, Nutten S, Verhasselt V. Clin Exp Allergy, 2017.
6. Early oral exposure to house dust mite allergen through breast milk: A potential risk factor for allergic sensitization and respiratory allergies in children. Baiz N, Macchiaverni P, Tulic MK, Rekima A, Annesi-Maesano I, Verhasselt V, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2017.
7. Oral Tolerance Induction to Newly Introduced Allergen is Favored by a Transforming Growth Factor-beta-Enriched Formula. Holvoet S, Perrot M, de Groot N, Prioult G, Mikogami T, Verhasselt V, Nutten S. Nutrients. 2019.
8. Prevention of Allergy to a Major Cow's Milk Allergen by Breastfeeding in Mice Depends on Maternal Immune Status and Oral Exposure During Lactation. Adel-Patient K, Bernard H, Fenaille F, Hazebrouck S, Junot C, Verhasselt V. Front Immunol. 2020.
9. Preventing immediate-onset food allergy in infants, children and adults: Systematic review protocol. de Silva D, Halken S, Singh C, Muraro A, Angier E, Arasi S… Verhasselt V, et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2020.
10. House dust mites: Does a clean mattress mean Der p 1-free breastmilk? Macchiaverni P, Gehring U, Rekima A, Wijga AH, Verhasselt V. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2020.
11. The role of allergen-specific IgE, IgG and IgA in allergic disease. Shamji MH, Valenta R, Jardetzky T, Verhasselt V, Durham SR, Wurtzen PA, et al. 2021.
12. Allergen shedding in human milk: Could it be key for immune system education and allergy prevention? Macchiaverni P, Rekima A, van den Elsen L, Renz H, Verhasselt V. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2021.
13. EAACI guideline: Preventing the development of food allergy in infants and young children (2020 update). Halken S, Muraro A, de Silva D, Khaleva E, Angier E, Arasi S… Verhasselt V, et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol, 2021.
14. The role of milk feeds and other dietary supplementary interventions in preventing allergic disease in infants: Fact or fiction? Vandenplas Y, Meyer R, Chouraqui JP, Dupont C, Fiocchi A, Salvatore S, Shamir R, Szajewska H, Thapar N, Venter C, Verhasselt V. Clin Nutr. 2021.
15. House Dust Mite Exposure through Human Milk and Dust: What Matters for Child Allergy Risk? Macchiaverni P, Gehring U, Rekima A, Wijga AH, Verhasselt V. Nutrients. 2022.
16. Food Proteins in Human Breast Milk and Probability of IgE-Mediated Allergic Reaction in Children During Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review. Gamirova A, Berbenyuk A, Levina D, Peshko D, Simpson MR, Azad MB, Järvinen KM, Brough HA, Genuneit J, Greenhawt M, Verhasselt V, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022.
Microbiota
1. Shaping the Gut Microbiota by Breastfeeding: The Gateway to Allergy Prevention? van den Elsen LWJ, Garssen J, Burcelin R, Verhasselt V. Front Pediatr. 2019.
2. Risk Factors for Gut Dysbiosis in Early Life. Parkin K, Christophersen CT, Verhasselt V, Cooper MN, Martino D. 2021.
3. Metagenomic Characterisation of the Gut Microbiome and Effect of Complementary Feeding on Bifidobacterium spp. in Australian Infants. Parkin K, Palmer DJ, Verhasselt V, Amenyogbe N, Cooper MN, Christophersen CT, Prescott SL, Silva D, Martino D. 2024.
4. The Gut‒Breast Axis: Programming Health for Life. Rodriguez JM, Fernandez L, Verhasselt V. Nutrients, 2021.
Malnutrition
1. Human Milk Drives the Intimate Interplay Between Gut Immunity and Adipose Tissue for Healthy Growth. van den Elsen LWJ, Verhasselt V. Front Immunol. 2021.
2. Diet at birth is critical for healthy growth, independent of effects on the gut microbiota. van den Elsen L. J. W, Rekima A, Lynn M. A, Isnard C, Machado S, Divakara N, Patalwala D, Middleton A, Stevens N, Servant F, Burcelin R, Lynn D. J, Verhasselt V. 2024.
Milk composition
1. Nutritional and Non-nutritional Composition of Human Milk Is Modulated by Maternal, Infant, and Methodological Factors. Samuel TM, Zhou Q, Giuffrida F, Munblit D, Verhasselt V, Thakkar SK. Front Nutr. 2020.

In UWA news

View all LRF-CIB news

Community news

World Breastfeeding Week: Q&A

Bid to adapt breastmilk to prevent bad reactions

Community Engagement

Are you passionate about infant health and breastfeeding?

The LRF Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding is leading research into how we can promote a happy childhood with optimal growth, no allergies, and no infections. We want to learn from human milk to provide the most appropriate care for newborn.

If you want to be involved, we invite you to join our consumer group.

By becoming part of our Consumer Group, you will:

Share experiences and insights to help guide our research.
Provide cultural guidance to ensure our research is inclusive and relevant to a broad community
Help communicate research findings to families and communities

What is involved?

Participate in 2x presential or virtual meetings per year.
Review grant applications and lay audience communications (e.g., social media).

You will be compensated with an honorarium for your contributions and time

How to Get Involved: To express your interest or learn more, please contact us at: patricia.macchiaverni@telethonkidsinstitute.org.au

LRF Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding consumer group flyer

Contact us

Join us

If you're as passionate about human milk and infant health research as we are, we'd be thrilled to have you on board. Email us if you want to explore available opportunities further.

Location

The Kids Research Institute – Level 7: Northern Entrance, Perth Children's Hospital; 15 Hospital Ave, Nedlands WA 6009

Contact

Prof Valerie Verhasselt: Director of the LRF-Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding

Dr Patricia Macchiaverni: Program Manager

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Larsson Rosenquist Foundation - Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding

On this page

About us

Welcome

Vision

Making human milk the gold standard for children's immune health.

Mission

Build a holistic understanding of how breastfeeding practices and human milk composition influence healthy immune development.

Our research

Why translational research into breastfeeding if we already know that human milk is the best?

Our research programmes

Establishing the role of human milk in healthy child development

What are our main discoveries?

Our priorities in the next 5 years

Meet our team

Prof Valerie Verhasselt

Director of the LRF-Centre for Immunology and Breastfeeding

Further information

Dr Patricia Macchiaverni

Program Manager

Further information

Savannah Machado

Research Assistant

Further information

Professor Wayne Thomas

Honorary researcher

Further information

Students

Collaborators and funders

Global network

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Signature strengths

Strategic pillars

Innovation:

Collaboration:

Communication:

Our values

Publications

The centre in numbers over the last 7 years

In UWA news

Community news

World Breastfeeding Week: Q&A

Bid to adapt breastmilk to prevent bad reactions

Community Engagement

Are you passionate about infant health and breastfeeding?

Contact us

Join us

Location

Contact

Map