TRITON Magazine Winter 2017 | Page 11

THE HUNT

THE MILK MAN

Unlocking a mother ’ s most precious resource .

LARS BODE Associate professor ,
UC San Diego School of Medicine
BY MICHELLE BRUBAKER
IN HIS YOUTH , Lars Bode was a dedicated athlete who spent much of his time studying specialized diets for optimal performance . “ I was constantly teased by my older brother for my ‘ strange ’ concoctions ,” says Bode , now an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine .
Yet those jokes turned into a change in Bode ’ s career path when he landed an internship at a baby formula company .
“ I worked on a project during that internship involving glycolipids — components of human milk that are part fat and part sugar . But the group next door was studying human milk oligosaccharides and the many magical things they can do . It was a defining moment for me ,” says Bode .
The “ magic ” of breast milk is owed to that complex blend of proteins , fats , minerals , vitamins and sugar molecules called human milk oligosaccharides , or HMOs . There are about 200 types of HMOs , and like thumbprints , their combinations and concentrations are unique to each nursing mother .
“ The components of breast milk are fascinating in what they can do and the health benefits to the infant and mother ,” says Bode . “ There are bacteria and even stem cells in human milk that might benefit the infant , and possibly the mother . There are also several different immune cells in human milk that provide protection . A mother ’ s body can sense what is in the environment and what immune cells and antibodies need to be delivered to an infant at a given time . Mothers who breastfeed also have a lower risk of cancer .”
Bode ’ s passion and dedication to his research recently earned him funding to study how the compounds in human milk could treat chronic illnesses in adults , like inflammatory bowel disease .
“ Lactating mothers could be the key for future drug development ,” says Bode . “ It ’ s very important to see if we can take components of human milk and develop them in natural therapies . If HMOs can prevent necrotizing enterocolitis , a deadly gastrointestinal disease that primarily affects premature babies , could it be possible they work in adult diseases ?”
And while researchers hunt for novel therapies the world over , Bode is committed to discovering more about the health benefits already inside us and stands by his commonsense approach : use the human body to heal the human body .
“ Mom has developed a whole arsenal of bioactive components that have been proven safe for the infant ,” says Bode . “ Mother Nature holds exciting opportunities for us to develop novel drugs based on what we learn from human milk research .”
Bode ’ s funding will help UC San Diego lead the way in these discoveries by launching MoMI CoRE , the Mother Milk Infant Center of Research Excellence .
“ Our mission for MoMI CoRE is to unravel the complexity of human milk for optimal infant health by promoting excellence , synergy and innovation in research , clinical practice and education ,” says Bode .

Banking on Success

While human milk may be the healthiest possible start to life , some mothers can be too ill or otherwise unable to produce enough milk — particularly when their babies are born premature . A gift from San Diegans Hannah and Zachary Johnson will allow UC San Diego to launch the first milk bank in Southern California . The Mother ’ s Milk Bank at UC San Diego will collect and provide donor milk to local hospitals for the optimal care of its tiniest patients . The bank will also work with community partners to improve breastfeeding education and awareness of milk donation .
Learn more at tritonmag . com / milkbank
– Jade Griffin ’ 03
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