Identifying consensus, gaps, and research priorities in infant nutrition science
SciPinion is seeking a panel of scientific experts from the academic community, the US federal government, and from the infant nutrition industry sectors to discuss, interpret, and refine responses to outstanding foundational scientific questions in infant nutrition.
Human milk is the gold standard of infant nutrition, offering undeniable benefits for both mother and baby. While it cannot be fully replicated, infant formula plays a vital role in supporting the health of babies who are not exclusively breastfed. But despite significant advances, gaps in health outcomes remain between exclusively breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants, underscoring the need to continue improving all infant feeding options.
This project brings together scientific experts from academia, government, and industry to advance our understanding of human milk and infant nutrition.This assessment centers around three pillars: compositional differences between human milk and infant formula, preclinical models for functional ingredient investigations, and expanding endpoints in growth monitoring studies.
This project brings together scientific experts from academia, government, and industry to advance our understanding of human milk and infant nutrition.This assessment centers around three pillars: compositional differences between human milk and infant formula, preclinical models for functional ingredient investigations, and expanding endpoints in growth monitoring studies.
Work Description
Participants will be invited to independently review specific charge questions within their area of expertise. Following, panelists will the be asked to review, comment, or debate fellow panelist's anonymized responses. These comments will then form the basis for an in-person workshop to further refine and debate outstanding questions where consensus was not achieved. The workshop will be held in Washington DC from March 3-4, 2026.
Review Format
Modified Delphi, 3 rounds
Blinding
Double Blinding: Panelists will be blinded to each other and to the sponsor during the online review and debate rounds.
Level of effort
Round 1, Independent Review: 5 hours
Round 2, Debate: 5 hours
In-person Workshop: 2 days
Round 2, Debate: 5 hours
In-person Workshop: 2 days
Review Period
Dates are approximate and subject to change
From January 1, 2026 until January 30, 2026
Number of panelists
18
Travel
In-person workshop in Washington DC, March 3-4, 2026. Optional hybrid participation, but it is strongly recommended to attend in person. Travel costs and registration are provided for academic and government sector participants.
Follow-up work
Outcomes of the in-person workshop will be reported in a proceedings manuscript and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Panelists will be invited to participate as reviewers and editors of the manuscript prior to publication.