Mapping the sugar molecules in breast milk
A bioanalytical research program to unravel the human milk glycome
This project creates better lab tools to map the complex sugars in breast milk so we can learn how they help babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11172294 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project develops advanced lab methods to separate and identify human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), the tiny sugar molecules in breast milk that support infant gut and brain development. Researchers will combine recycling liquid chromatography, cyclic ion mobility, and high-resolution mass spectrometry with chemical probes and top-down sequencing to tell apart very similar sugar structures. These multidimensional analyses aim to resolve mixtures that currently blur together in standard tests and produce clearer structural maps of HMOs. That information will help scientists link specific milk sugars to their roles in infant growth and guide future nutrition improvements.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Mothers who are breastfeeding and willing to donate breast milk samples, and their infants, would be the ideal participants for related sample collection.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate treatment or infants not exposed to breast milk are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this lab-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help design better infant formulas and breastfeeding guidance by revealing which breast milk sugars support infant gut and brain health.
How similar studies have performed: Mass spectrometry and chromatography have previously been used to study HMOs, but the proposed combination of recycling LC with cyclic ion mobility and new chemical probes is novel and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Salt Lake City, United States
- Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah — Salt Lake City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nagy, Gabe — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Nagy, Gabe
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 below.