LAB MEMBERS
Our team members are at the core of what makes Mother's Milk for Michigan Infants such a unique and fulfilling place to work. We take pride in the diversity of our staff, with each member contributing their unique skills to the projects we are working on.
DR. ANITA ESQUERRA-ZWIERS, PHD, RN, CBS
Project Supervisor
Dr. Anita Esquerra-Zwiers is the co-founder of MMMI (2017) and co-leads the Milk Microbiome Feasibility Study. Her research focuses on factors that influence milk supply, and she is excited to collaborate with experts in the Global Watershed Research Institute. She is an assistant professor of Nursing at Hope College. She loves to go on adventures domestically and internationally with her family.
DR. BRIAN YURK
Project Supervisor - Milk Microbiome
Dr. Brian Yurk is the co-lead of the Milk Microbiome Feasibility Study. Dr. Yurk is a Fellow in the Global Water Research Institute at Hope College and is a full professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. He joined the MMMI team in 2021 as our lead statistician on the Accuracy of Test Weights study. Dr. Yurk is also involved in research investigating changes in microbial communities in the Lake Macatawa watershed, the dynamics of sand dunes and vegetation populations in Lake Michigan sand dune complexes, and the ecology of tropical pioneer plants in the cloud forest of Costa Rica. He loves to run ultramarathons, mountain bike, and spend time with his family and their two dogs.
AVA DOTY
Research Assistant
Ava Doty is a Hope College Student Researcher for MMMI (the NEW Milk Microbiome Study) and is going into her sophomore year studying chemistry and women and gender studies on the pre-medical track. This is her first year on the team. Her interest in milk microbiome began during a lecture discussing human and environmental microbiome. Ava is from West Lafayette, Indiana, and enjoys watching movies from the golden age of Hollywood.
ISABEL LOPEZ
Research Assistant
Isabel is a Hope College Student Researcher for MMMI and is going into her Senior year studying Nursing. This is her first year on the team and she is really excited to contribute to the project especially now being her last year as a Hope College student. After gaining experience in her maternity rotation and getting a feel of what the area has to offer to current mothers, she knows the impact this project will have in the future of lactation.
DELANEY WESOLEK
Research Assistant
Delaney Wesolek is a Hope College Student Researcher for MMMI and is going into her Junior year studying Nursing. This is her first year on the team. She is excited to partner with Dr. Anita Esquerra-Zwiers and Isabel Lopez and learn more about the research process. She is on the Hope College Swim and Dive Team and loves spending time with her teammates and friends at the beach.
ERIN MATHENY
Research Assistant
Erin is a Hope College Student Researcher for MMMI and is in her sophomore year studying Nursing and Spanish. This is her second year on the team. She is interested in how to use language to make healthcare more accessible and equitable. She loves baking, wildflowers, and spending time outside.
