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A bioactive milk component promotes cognition through the gut microbiome-brain axis.

Award Number: F32HD118812
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/04/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/03/2029

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A bioactive milk component promotes cognition through the gut microbiome-brain axis. - Project Summary/Abstract Milk is an invaluable, natural source of unique Milk Fat Globule Membrane (MFGM) glycoconjugates that promote cognitive function in infants. These functions are attributed in part to sialylated glycoconjugates, which contain sialic acid (Sia), a crucial molecule for neurodevelopment. Using a novel bioactive dairy component (whey protein phospholipid concentrate, WPPC) enriched with bovine MFGM as a proxy for breast milk, the first goal of this work is to identify the genetic elements enabling select bifidobacteria with the metabolic capacity to consume WPPC and release Sia. Aim 1 will involve systematic, high-throughput screening to identify bifidobacteria species in vitro growth on WPPC and measuring Sia release into the culture media. RNA sequencing will be performed to discover genetic differences between species that release Sia and those that do not, and knock-out strains and strains with the necessary genetic elements cloned in will validate essential genetic elements for Sia release. Sequential fecal enrichment experiments using adult feces and WPPC will enable the identification of bifidobacteria strains that persist in a stabilized gut microbiome and quantification of Sia release. Next, this proposal will determine if Sia release from WPPC-consuming bifidobacteria can promote cognitive function in rats. In Aim 2, I will also orally administer bifidobacteria +/- WPPC to an infant model of Wistar rats to determine if WPPC promotes bifidobacteria persistence (feces), enables the release of Sia from WPPC (feces, blood, hippocampus and frontal cortex), and promotes cognition through behavior tests. I will also infuse labeled Sia into rats to determine the effect of dietary treatments on brain myelination kinetics, which is important for cognition. I anticipate enzymatically capable bifidobacteria will be able to release Sia, which will improve cognitive function in rats. These experiments will identify a mechanism for how natural milk MFGM glycoconjugates may promote neurodevelopment in infants. In the long-term, these findings could contribute towards developing an integrative food-for-health synbiotic to promote cognitive development in early life. The fellowship training will be guided by NIH funded co-sponsors Professors David Mills (microbiology) and Ameer Taha (neurobiology), and Professor Daniela Barile (glycochemistry) in the Department of Food Science and Technology at UC Davis. The Mills laboratory has an established, over 20-year-old UC Davis Milk Bioactives Group which has facilitated numerous collaborative research projects amongst 100’s of academics resulting in 100’s of publications. Dr. Mills has graduated 24 graduate students and mentored 18 postdoctoral researchers, three of whom were awarded an F32. Twelve of Dr. Mills former mentees are now academic faculty. The Mills laboratory is part of the UC Davis Food for Health Institute, which aims to bring personalized health to practice by understanding how diet controls health. As such, the laboratory and broader institutional environment at UC Davis has the personnel and expertise for this research training plan and project to be successfully completed.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2027 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2027	2026	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS	1850 RESEARCH PARK DR STE 300	DAVIS	CA	95618	YOLO	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	10/28/2026	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $86,824 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS	1850 RESEARCH PARK DR STE 300	DAVIS	CA	95618	YOLO	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	9/3/2026	NEW	$86,824
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS	1850 RESEARCH PARK DR STE 300	DAVIS	CA	95618	YOLO	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	1	9/3/2026	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $86,824

Grand Total All Awards = $86,824

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A bioactive milk component promotes cognition through the gut microbiome-brain axis.

Award Number: F32HD118812

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/04/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/03/2029

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