
Mandy Brown Belfort, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Dr. Belfort is an Attending Neonatologist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. In addition to caring for neonates in the NICU, Dr. Belfort leads an NIH-funded research program focused on nutrition and human milk science.

Sara Ramel, MD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Ramel is an Attending Neonatologist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at The University of Minnesota. In addition to caring for neonates in the NICU, Dr. Ramel conducts clinical research focusing on neurodevelopmental outcomes, nutrition, growth, and body composition.


Katherine Bell, MD
Site Co-Investigator
Dr. Bell has a particular interest in how the nutrition and growth of premature infants impacts long-term health outcomes. Her current clinical research focuses on neonatal body composition—the relative contributions of fat and lean mass to an infant’s weight—and its role in assessment of nutritional status and prediction of long-term outcomes.

Hunter Pepin, MS, RDN, LDN, CLC
Project Manager and Dietitian

Laurie Foster, MEd, CLC
Study Coordinator

Tina Steele, RN, IBCLC
Senior Research Nurse and Lactation Consultant

Debbie Cuddyer, RN
Research Nurse

Mary Sawyer, RN
Research Nurse

Sarah Roytek, BSA
Research Assistant


Lauren Buckley, MD
Site Co-Investigator
Dr. Buckley is an Attending Neonatologist and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The University of Minnesota. Her research interests include the impact of maternal nutrition, maternal health status and pregnancy complications on neonatal growth and developmental outcomes.

Brittany Faanes, MPH, CCRP
Project Manager

Jensina Ericksen, RN
Clinical Research Nurse Manager

Becca Zarembinski, MPH Student
Clinical Research Coordinator

Cydney Coleman, MA
Clinical Research Coordinator

Carrie Kopp, RN
Clinical Research Nurse


Erin Plummer, MD
Site Principal Investigator
Dr. Plummer is an Attending Neonatologist at Children’s Minnesota. Her clinical interests include nutrition, growth, and neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature and critically ill infants. She is passionate about caring for infants hospitalized in the NICU and building relationships with their families.

Andrea Lampland, MD
Site Co-Investigator
Dr. Lampland is the Neonatal Research Director at Children’s Minnesota. She is an assistant professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology at the University of Minnesota and the Associate Program Director of the Neonatal Perinatal Fellowship program. Her areas of interest include clinical and laboratory research of neonatal ventilation strategies, the care of extremely preterm infants, neonatal transport, and resident/fellow education.

Ernest Krause, MBA, CCRP
Clinical Research Manager

Rachel Beaver, BSN, RN
Clinical Research Coordinator

Emily Quast, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator

Uche Nwosu, MS
Clinical Research Associate

Marvellous John, BA
Clinical Research Associate