From bench to crib: translating human milk bioactive peptides into infant health interventions

assays, adult-derived models, and supra-physiological dosing, and argue for a translational framework grounded in developmental biology. By integrating peptidomics, infant-specific models, and systems-level validation, we describe a roadmap to identify and prioritize peptides with clinical relevance. This shift in perspective, from molecular activity to developmental impact, establishes the basis for next-generation nutrition strategies and precision therapeutics that mirror the actual biological complexity of early life.