Program Directors
 

Supervisor: Dr. Dylan Burger
Award: KRESCENT Summer Studentship
Institution: University of Ottawa/The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Year: 2025
 
Project Title: Investigating the Impact of Infant Formula on Podocyte Health

Biography:
Malik Thomas is a third-year undergraduate student studying Translational and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Beyond the classroom, Malik balances the responsibilities of being a head instructor at Douvris Martial Arts, a competitive athlete, and a program volunteer with Kids Kicking Cancer. He has practiced karate for the last 14 years, competing internationally and earning multiple world titles. His leadership has helped many students reach their goals in martial arts, including black belts and world championship titles. He also teaches therapeutic martial arts to children facing serious illnesses and has led seminars in underserved communities abroad. Malik is currently contributing to research focused on understanding the early-life factors that affect long term podocyte health. These combined experiences continue to shape his dedication to community engagement and drive his growing interest in the intersection of science and service.

Lay Summary:
Background: Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder linked to damage of the podocytes. Podocytes are specialized cells that help regulate protein filtration. When these cells are damaged, they can no longer properly filter proteins, leading to proteinuria (excess protein in the urine) and kidney inflammation. Over time, this may increase the risk of developing permanent damage to the kidneys or heart.
Recent evidence suggests that formula feeding is associated with an increased risk of proteinuria. However, no studies to date have directly explored how infant formula may influence podocyte health, or whether its components could increase the risk of proteinuria.
Purpose: This project aims to investigate whether exposure to infant formula affects the health of podocytes—specifically, to determine whether certain ingredients may predispose these cells to injury in the future.
Methods and Anticipated Outcomes: We will expose cultured human podocyte cells (HPod) to infant formula. We anticipate that repeated exposure to formula will prime podocytes for damage, potentially contributing to proteinuria. This may be observed through increased inflammation, cell death, and altered cellular structure. We expect a dose-dependent relationship, where higher formula concentrations cause more pronounced effects.
Relevance to Patients and Community: These results will help determine whether infant formula has a direct effect on podocyte health, which could explain the observed association between formula feeding and proteinuria. Our findings may provide new insights into long-term kidney health in racial minority groups in Canada, who often face barriers to breastfeeding and rely more heavily on formula feeding. This study could help explain the disproportionate rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among Black and Indigenous populations in Canada.
Conclusion: This research may uncover early-life environmental or nutritional factors—such as infant formula exposure—that contribute to proteinuria. These findings can guide future efforts in public health, nutrition, and equity-focused policy to reduce kidney disease risk in vulnerable populations.