The International Milk Genomics Consortium (IMGC) is a non-profit organization that brings together leading scientists, innovators, and industry partners to advance the science of milk for human health.
IMGC serves as a global hub for discovery, collaboration, and translation— connecting science to real-world impact.
IMGC was created in 2004 by researchers from the University of California Davis and colleagues with the original goal to sequence the lactation genome which was published in Genome Biology in 2009.
Today, the IMGC is made up of hundreds of scientists and innovators from around the world who share the overarching goal of discovering the functions and impact of lactation and its remarkable product, milk. Our four advances scientific discoveries to practice for human health.
The IMGC’s scientific base derives from a broad spectrum of research fields united by a shared interest in milk science and health. The IMGC connects the global community of scientists working across a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines from chemistry, nutrition, immunology, microbiology, comparative biology, lactation physiology, medicine, computational biology, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence, to address some of the major challenges to health.
Our focus on milk is based on its uniqueness as it is the only food that has evolved specifically to nourish mammals. Therefore, through their genomes, mammals contain the evolutionary blueprint of the selection pressure on milk as a nutritional, metabolic and immunological health support system.
Leveraging from a Broad Spectrum of Fields
Vision
IMGC is the global knowledge hub for mechanistic science, connecting discovery and innovation to real-world health impact across the lifespan.
Mission
IMGC’s mission is to advance milk science by providing a collaborative, multidisciplinary, pre-competitive platform that accelerates discovery of milk’s structures, functions, and biological actions—and translates that knowledge into practice to improve health.
IMGC advances awareness of scientific discoveries and identifies actionable opportunities in milk science through four integrated platforms: Annual IMGC Symposium, Awards Program, SPLASH!® Milk Science Update, and the Annual ‘ROS’ Workshop.
Annual IMGC Symposium
Awards Program
The Awards Program was established to honor outstanding scientists at all career stages, from students to world-renowned emeriti. The program highlights individuals whose discoveries, innovations, and careers have significantly advanced the field of milk science.
SPLASH!® Milk Science Update
SPLASH!® Milk Science Update, founded in 2012, is IMGC’s bi-monthly scientific publication that translates the latest discoveries in milk science from the primary literature into accessible, evidence-based articles for a global audience. Read by academic and industry scientists as well as interested readers worldwide, SPLASH!® highlights innovation and discovery without a paywall—making all educational content freely available. The publication features a searchable archive of more than 500 articles and reaches over 200,000 readers annually across the globe.
Annual ROS Workshop
The Annual IMGC ROS Workshop, hosted virtually each spring, focuses on the translational challenges in milk science. Designed to identify key scientific and practical hurdles, the workshop brings together experts from diverse disciplines to develop innovative, actionable solutions. Named “ROS” for roll up one’s sleeves, the workshop equips participants with practical insights for moving scientific discoveries into real-world practice. Participation is complimentary.
IMGC Accomplishments
Collectively, IMGC accelerates the translation of experimental discoveries into meaningful health benefits. In doing so, our scientific society connects the dots across disciplines, transforming data into knowledge and impact. IMGC’s success in advancing the field has been formally evaluated and published in PLOS ONE (Kwok et al.).
Key indicators of IMGC’s impact include:
- Recruiting and engaging new scientists in milk and lactation research
- Increasing the volume and impact of milk- and lactation-focused publications, including high-impact research
- Fostering collaborations among IMGC symposium and workshop participants
As we look ahead to future IMGC Symposia, we remain committed to expanding our scientific community, strengthening research productivity and impact, and cultivating collaborations that advance milk science. We gratefully acknowledge our IMGC participants and partners for their shared commitment to advancing the field.