NUTRITION & GROWTH 2019

Dr. Ardythe Morrow earned her Master of Science in nutrition from the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. While at the University of the West Indies, Dr. Morrow studied infant nutrition and child health. Dr. Morrow completed her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Texas at Houston in epidemiology. Following her graduate and postgraduate training, Dr. Morrow has written more than 160 publications on infant nutrition and child health and is regarded as a leading expert in human milk composition. Over her career, Dr. Morrow has published extensively on breastfeeding promotion and human milk protection against infectious disease. She has been awarded more than $25 million in grants from NIH, CDC, industry, and foundations and has served as President of the International Society for Research in human milk and lactation. Dr. Morrow has published extensively on breastfeeding promotion and human milk protection against infectious diseases. Currently, Dr. Morrow is the Director at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Human Milk and Lactation Global Health Center. Additionally, Dr. Morrow serves as a Professor of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center where she founded and directs the Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Lars Bode is Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology and the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, the Larsson-Rosenquist Chair of Collaborative Human Milk Research, and Director of the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE) at the University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Bode received both his Master of Science and PhD degree in Nutritional Sciences from the Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany and completed a pre-doctoral fellowship at the Institute of Child Health, University College London, United Kingdom. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla, California, Dr. Bode joined the University of California, San Diego, where he is now leading a research program dedicated to investigating human milk oligosaccharide biosynthesis and functions with potential benefits for infant and adult health.

Dr. Bode is the recipient of the 2012 Ehrlich-Koldovsky Award from the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation, the recipient of the 2013 Norman Kretchmer Memorial Award in Nutrition and Development from the American Society for Nutrition, and the 2014 Bio Serv Award in Experimental Animal Nutrition from the American Society for Nutrition.

University of Granada, Department of Paediatrics
School of Medicine
EURISTIKOS Excellence Centre for Paediatric Research
Institute of Neurosciences
Granada, Spain

Dr. Angel Gil was born in Granada, Spain in 1951. In 1996, he became Full Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Granada (UGR). He is an internationally recognized authority in the field of Food and Nutrition; his expertise extends from the study of food composition to the metabolism of macronutrients and bioactive compounds, and their effects on health. Since his early career he has balanced his role of researcher and professor, and conducted pioneering and innovative research, leading more than 50 projects and contracts; Prof Gil has several areas of interest that include the evaluation of the role of dietary nucleotides in early life and the development of infant nutrition products. In addition, the isolation, identification and description of the mechanism of action of probiotics and the metabolic, molecular and genetic factors involved in obesity and the early onset of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in childhood; and the design, development and evaluation of enteral clinical nutrition products. What actually, probably describes Prof Gil best, is the variety of fields and problems he has faced during his professional carrier and his significant ability to combine his knowledge and expertise in Food Science and Human Biochemistry. He has also been the Chairman of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) 21st International Congress of Nutrition, the most important event in nutrition every 4 years in the World and has been engaged in the organization of other renowned international congresses.

Kate Ward is an associate professor at the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit at the University of Southampton, UK. She is also a principal research fellow in the Global Nutrition Research Group in Southampton and an honorary senior scientist at the MRC Nutrition and Bone Health Group, Cambridge, UK. A biologist by training, Dr Ward has been a researcher in translational/clinical bone physiology since 1993.

Ola Nilsson is a Professor and Senior Consultant at Örebro University and Örebro University Hospital in Sweden. He is also Associate Professor and Consultant Physician in pediatric endocrinology at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Dr Nilsson is an active investigator in the field of growth and skeletal disorders and has lead clinical trials for a number of putative pediatric treatments.

Dan Nemet is professor of pediatrics at the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel, where he also serves as associate dean. Dr Nemet is the cofounder and director of the Child Health and Sports Center at the Meir Medical Center, a multidisciplinary center focused on research and clinical aspects of the interaction between child development, nutrition, growth, and physical activity.

Julie Lanigan is a certified dietitian with more than 20 years of experience in nutrition research. She is dedicated to improving health outcomes in infants and children, which led her to purse a PhD in nutrition from the University College of London, School of Life and Medical Sciences. A key player in the execution of complex large-scale clinical trials investigating effects of nutritional interventions in early life on long-term health. Dr. Lanigan is experienced in working with multi-disciplinary teams in research and development, program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. She plays a key role by working at the interface between clinical practice, research, policy and industry.

Dr. Robert Murray spent over 20 years in the field of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition in the Ohio State University School of Medicine and most recently was the director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition. He also served as the pediatric medical director for Abbott Nutrition from 2003-2006. For 10 years Dr Murray was a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on School Health, serving as chair in the final 4 years. He is a Board member of Action for Healthy Kids as well as of the Children’s Hunger Alliance, and previously served on the Board of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation. Dr Murray is the immediate past-President of the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.