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Future of Oxford lactation research centre secured with £9.12 million donation
A £9.12 million gift from the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation has endowed an Oxford University research centre investigating the role of hormones in human milk production.
Human milk has vital nutritional and health benefits for babies, however very little is currently known about how hormones regulate its production and influence maternal-infant bonding. The Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Oxford Centre for the Endocrinology of Human Lactation (LRF OCEHL) is the only research centre in the United Kingdom focused on addressing this critical topic.
The centre, which is led by Professor Fadil Hannan and embedded within the Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, aims to solve hormone-related breastfeeding challenges and improve the health of mothers and children globally. ‘Understanding the full range of hormones that influence lactation is crucial to helping mothers who are struggling to breastfeed,’ said Professor Hannan.
Professor Krina Zondervan, head of the department, added: ‘Our vision is to fill knowledge gaps that can improve lactation and breastfeeding outcomes. Thanks to this endowment, we have a unique opportunity to establish a line of research that’s been underappreciated for too long.’
Improving global breastfeeding outcomes
The Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Oxford Centre for the Endocrinology of Human Lactation was established in 2018 with an initial donation of £2.9 million from the foundation. The new gift will now ensure the long-term sustainability of the centre by endowing a chair in the endocrinology of human lactation, as well as an associated research and collaboration fund.
The fund will be used to support new projects within the field, with a particular focus on generating pilot data from innovative ideas. It is hoped that this approach will enable the centre to attract further research grants and philanthropic support, allowing it to conduct high-quality research over a long horizon.
Dr Marco Steiner, president of the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation’s board, said: ‘We are delighted to be supporting mothers and children’s health with this endowment. It enables the world-renowned University of Oxford to target a neglected research topic – the physiology of breastfeeding. Because this work is taking place in the John Radcliffe Hospital, the team is in a wonderful position to support breastfeeding mothers, making practical, meaningful differences in the lives of families every day.’
The Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation
Established in Switzerland in 2013, the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation is an independent philanthropic organisation that promotes breastfeeding and supports research in human milk and lactation.
The foundation’s support for the Oxford-based centre follows its endowment of four other independent research centres in this field – two at the University of Zurich, one at the University of Western Australia and another at the University of California. Together they form the Global Human Milk Research Consortium, a network that focuses on complimentary research topics and collaborates on projects capable of bridging traditional divides between disciplines.
Future of Oxford lactation research centre secured with £9.12 million donation
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