The University of California San Diego (UCSD) has announced a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor to endow its annual Human Milk Institute symposium.

At the donor’s request, the annual event will be known as the Kohlberg Johnson Family Human Milk Institute Symposium. The institute was established in 2022 as a wide-ranging, cross-campus initiative housed in the department of pediatrics at UCSD’s School of Medicine. It combines efforts across multiple, ongoing enterprises and programs at the university related to human milk and lactation. The symposium brings breastfeeding and human milk experts for knowledge exchange, strategic planning, and visioning.

“The UC San Diego Human Milk Institute is a destination for leading global research and advocacy related to human milk,” said UCSD chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “We are grateful for this gift, which will allow us to continue to bring scientists, physicians, and leaders in the field together with interested members of the community. This annual symposium provides an unparalleled opportunity for an exchange of ideas, with the ultimate goal of making a difference in the health of children and adults locally and around the globe.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Fizkes)