Harvard Catalyst Profiles

Human milk is the global gold standard of infant nutrition, yet the specific components of human milk that may optimize physical growth and brain development are not well defined. Our laboratory aims to deepen our understanding of the specific nutrients and bioactives in human milk that confer the greatest health benefits during infancy. These findings will be used to guide dietary intervention studies to enhance nutritional care through the first 2 years of life. Our laboratory is affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School (https://belfortlab.bwh.harvard.edu). We are seeking a medical or graduate student who would like to pursue research in one or more of the following: 1) maternal diet/health; 2) human milk composition; 3) breastfeeding practices; 4) infant growth and body composition; and 5) infant brain development via MRI. The student will collaborate with members of our investigative team. They will learn the fundamentals of clinical research, including how to develop a research question, conduct a literature review, perform statistical analyses, interpret data, and prepare an abstract and/or manuscript for presentation/publication. The duration of this opportunity is 1-year, but timing is flexible. We are located at 221 Longwood Avenue and will consider remote work. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Paige Berger at pberger@bwh.harvard.edu. We look forward to working with you!