Donate breast milk for research.
We're scientists studying the incredible microbiome and nutrients in breast milk. A small breast milk donation from you could help us understand more about how babies grow and thrive.
Founded by scientists · Women-owned · UCL Ethics ID: 2154
35 mL or more of fresh milk
Expressed by hand or with our lab-sterilised hand pump. This is ideal for our work.
Have questions about what you can donate? Email us at aleisha@boobybiome.com
One used nappy
From within 36 hours of the milk donation, which we pick up while we're with you.
A 5–7 minute questionnaire
About lifestyle, such as diet, antibiotics and supplements.
As a thank-you, you'll receive a £20 Amazon voucher
The ability to contribute to groundbreaking research in breast milk and baby gut health
Simple, flexible, and personal.
We'll help you arrange everything, and we're always happy to talk it through with you.
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Sign up.
Fill in the short form at the top of this page or email aleisha@boobybiome.com if you have any questions.
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We come to you.
We'll meet wherever suits you best, within an hour of our labs. We will ask you to express 35 mL or more of fresh milk, either by hand or with our lab-sterilised hand pump. We'll also ask for a nappy with a stool sample from your baby, to connect what we find in your milk with what ends up in your baby's gut. This usually takes 30–60 minutes, though we're flexible with whatever works best for you.
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A quick questionnaire.
Five to seven minutes on lifestyle (such as diet, antibiotics and supplements), so we can connect it with what we find. You can also opt in to short follow-up questionnaires in later years, to help us study the long term impacts of breast milk and the infant gut microbiome.
Where we travel.
Samples are processed in our labs within an hour of collection. We usually meet donors within an hour of the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, where our labs are.
Further afield? If you have a group of six or more donors, we're happy to organise a full-day collection trip to you; we love organising group donations.
We're often on the road, too. BoobyBiome travels for conferences, trade shows and events, so keep an eye on our Instagram and LinkedIn. We'll post when we're in your area, in case you'd like to donate while we're nearby.
Your milk, under the microscope.
Breast milk isn't just food. It's alive, carrying its own community of bacteria (a microbiome) alongside nutrients your baby's body is built to use. With your help, we'll study the microbiome, nutrients, and many other incredible components of breast milk.
See what our donors have helped us discover →The microbiome.
The community of living bacteria in your milk. We look at which bacteria are there, the community dynamics between them, and how they may impact infant health long term.
Why we'd love a nappy, too.
Your baby's gut has its own microbiome, and research suggests that bacteria in breast milk help shape it.3 A nappy sample lets us link what we find in your milk with what we find in your baby's gut. That pairing is where some of the most fascinating science happens.
Looked after, step by step.
Once you donate, your details are kept in our secure, GDPR-compliant database. Everything else travels under a donor code. See our privacy policy for exactly where your information goes.
Your sample.
Your milk and your baby's nappy, collected with you.
A donor code.
Your name is swapped for a code. Your contact details stay securely in our GDPR-compliant database.
Our lab.
In the lab, your samples are known only by their code.
Anonymous findings.
Anything we publish is completely anonymous.
Good to know.
A member of our team brings a collection kit with a sterilised pump to your preferred location, whether that's at yours, at our labs, or somewhere else. They'll stay in the room or wait outside, whichever you prefer, and you donate only as much as you're comfortable giving. Your milk and the nappy then go back to our lab in a cool box.
Wherever you feel most comfortable expressing: your home, at the Institute of Child Health, a café, a park, anywhere that suits you. Tuesday mornings usually work best for us, but just let us know what fits around you and your baby. We can travel up to an hour from our labs at the Institute of Child Health in London. If you're further afield and have a group of six or more donors, we're happy to organise a full-day collection trip to you.
Yes! We'll bring all the equipment, and our lab-sterilised hand pump tends to work well for parents who exclusively breastfeed too.
Unfortunately not. All samples must be rapidly processed in our labs within an hour, whether that's freshly pumped or fresh from the freezer. Instead, we're very happy to visit you to collect the milk and nappy, or you're welcome to visit us at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health in London.
Your details are kept securely in our GDPR-compliant database, where your samples are labelled with a donor code rather than your name. Anything we publish is completely anonymous.
Of course! We love organising group donations. Donors have organised group donations with their antenatal groups and friendship groups, and we love a donation party. We can book a baby-friendly space near you, and we'll buy the coffee. Mention it in your notes or email us at aleisha@boobybiome.com and we'll coordinate with you.