An international team led by a U of T scientist has identified a breast milk protein that jump-starts the immune system in newborns. “We’ve always known breastfeeding was a really good idea, now we know why,” says Professor Michael Julius, former chair of immunology and now vice-president of research at Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre. While babies of mothers who do not breastfeed will still develop normal immune systems, Julius says breastfed babies will be healthier and more robust. Julius and his colleagues will now examine a commercial role for the protein, including possibly fortifying baby formula. The research was conducted at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute of the University Health Network
Recent Posts
Meet Anne Dale, Dentistry’s Unofficial Historian
The museum she curates at the Faculty of Dentistry holds thousands of objects that tell the story of the profession in Canada
Heroes of Our Time
Members of the U of T community are working alongside colleagues from around the world to respond to the pandemic
Whose Stories Do We Tell?
The Dictionary of Canadian Biography aims to record noteworthy lives from “all points of view.” Six decades into its mission, what that means is still up for debate
