Improving nutrition for very low birth weight infants to enhance their growth and brain development.
Official title: Improving growth and neurodevelopment of very low birth weight infants through precision nutrition: The Optimizing Nutrition and Milk (Opti-NuM) Project.
Funded at Hospital for Sick Chldrn (Toronto) · NIH-10907605 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about finding the best ways to feed babies who were born very small so they can grow strong and develop well, by looking at their unique needs and how things like family stress and genetics play a role in their nutrition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hospital for Sick Chldrn (Toronto) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Toronto, Canada) |
| Project start | September 22, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $480,861 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD111018-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10907605 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants born with very low birth weight, typically weighing less than 1500 grams.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not born with very low birth weight or those who do not require specialized nutritional interventions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on optimizing nutrition for infants born with very low birth weight (VLBW) to improve their growth and neurodevelopment. It aims to personalize human milk feeding strategies by understanding the specific nutritional needs of these infants, taking into account various factors such as parental stress and infant genetics. By analyzing the components of human milk and their effects on health outcomes, the project seeks to develop tailored feeding approaches that can better support the health of VLBW infants. The study will utilize established research networks to gather data and implement interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes for very low birth weight infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using personalized nutrition approaches for improving health outcomes in vulnerable infant populations, indicating potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
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Hospital for Sick Chldrn (Toronto)
Toronto, Canada Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'connor, Deborah — Hospital for Sick Chldrn (Toronto)
- Study coordinator: O'connor, Deborah
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.