top of page

Our Founders.

Lydia Headshot Final (2).jpg

Dr Lydia Mapstone

CO-FOUNDER & CEO

BSc Biological Sciences, MSc Synthetic Biology & Biotechnology, PhD Molecular Biology & Microbiology.

Favourite Fact: Over 50% of a baby’s microbiome is seeded by their mother, with breast milk providing the largest contribution.

Sioned Headshot Final.jpg

Dr Sioned Jones

CO-FOUNDER & COO

BSc Chemistry, MChem Chemistry, PhD in Biophysics.

Favourite Fact: 20% of the sugars in breast milk can’t be digested by babies, they exist to feed the “good bacteria” in the infant gut, helping shape gut health.

Tara Headshot Final (2).jpg

Dr Tara O'Driscoll

CO-FOUNDER & CTO

BSc Neuroscience, MSc Cognitive Science, PhD Neuroscience.

Favourite Fact: The very first bacteria babies acquire after birth can halve the risk of hospitalisation with lung infections in early childhood.
 

Our Story.

Founded by a team of scientists making advancements in infant health. BoobyBiome transforms cutting-edge breast milk microbiome research into safe, innovative solutions to give every baby the foundation for lifelong health. 

 

Leading the forefront of microbiome science, Dr Lydia Mapstone, Dr Sioned Jones and Dr Tara O'Driscoll’s passion was ignited by researching the understudied breast milk microbiome. Quickly learning that the benefits of breast milk extend past nutrition, the team founded BoobyBiome, an extensive study into the copious good bacteria found with the milk microbiome.

 

Supported by a team of skilled scientists, world-leading advisors and academics from the renowned UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, BoobyBiome extend their research insights into ground-breaking solutions. Constantly advancing, the team are driven by the goal of ensuring every baby has access to the beneficial bacteria found in the breast milk.

Website Banner 1-2.png

Our Mission.

To give every baby the foundation for lifelong health, through research-backed microbiome solutions.

01

Science you can trust, 
made for every family.

We believe every parent deserves science they can trust - grounded in diverse research, proven by testing, and shared openly with families. 

02

Turning big questions into
breakthrough solutions.

We believe in asking the questions no one else thought to ask, and turning the answers into solutions that transform infant health.

03

Inclusive health for every
start in life.

We believe every baby deserves the best start, however they are born or fed, with the breast milk microbiome shaping lifelong health. 

Our Team.

Megan Powell

HEAD OF EXPERIMENTAL R&D

BSc Biomedical Science, MSc Clinical Neuroscience.

Favourite Fact: We're in the middle of a “microbiome extinction event - losing nearly half of our gut species compared with people just 1,000 years ago.
 

Dr Ryan Ames

SENIOR BIOINFORMATICIAN

BSc Biology, Master of Science Bioinformatics, PhD Bioinformatics. 

Favourite Fact: Breast milk can contain over 800 species of bacteria that provide a foundation for health.

 

Jessica Sobolev

OPERATIONS LEAD

Bachelor of Laws and Politics.

Favourite Fact: Producing breast milk uses 25% of the body's energy.



 

Nicole Irwin

MARKETING & CONTENT LEAD

Bachelor of Communication, Diploma of International Trade.

Favourite Fact: Breast milk changes between night and day, containing more melatonin in the evening, encouraging better sleep for baby. 

Catherine Gurr

SCIENTIST

MSci Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Favourite Fact: The source of the bacteria found in breast milk is still debated. One leading theory is bacteria from the mother’s gut migrate to the mammary glands via immune cells.

Aleisha Durmaz

LAB TECHNICIAN 

MBiol Biology.

Favourite Fact: Certain microbes in breast milk, like Bifidobacteria, release chemicals that “train” the infant immune system, teaching it how to respond and build tolerance.

 

William Thompson

PRODUCT DESIGNER

MA Design for Industry.

Favourite Fact: Breast milk changes significantly over time and even during a feed to meet a baby's evolving needs.
 

Our Board & Advisors.

download.jpeg

Tatiana Escobar-Peake

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Screenshot 2025-08-27 at 13.41.51.png

Neil Clark

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Screenshot 2025-08-27 at 13.44.04.png

Dr Helen O'Neill

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Screenshot 2025-08-27 at 13.44.39.png

Dr Mona Bajaj-Elliot

SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR

9e296bc4-12c8-426d-8503-64f3040c185c_medium_edited.jpg

Coco Hollamby

INVESTOR DIRECTOR

Empirical+Ventures+Website+Visuals+(93)_edited.jpg

Dr Ben Miles

INVESTOR DIRECTOR

Water Ripple Texture

Our Backers & Collaborators.

We’re proud to be supported by world-class venture capital firms, visionary angel investors, and significant grant funding. Our work is strengthened through collaborations with leading universities and globally recognised researchers, ensuring our science is cutting-edge and our mission is unstoppable.

ucl-logo.png
20170618023841!University_of_Reading_logo.png
UKRI_IUK-Logo_Horiz-RGB.png
Venrex-Investment-Management.png
_Cade+Hill+logo_onLight_hori_RGB.webp
New-Logo-BLACK-1024x577.png
rs=w_600,h_600,cg_true.webp
Empirical+Ventures+Logo+-+White_3x.webp
Xfactor-Branding2021-10.webp
65eae73155018dd2dc6b9237_Evenlode.png
6402609b951debcf07a650fd_qHBbteco_400x400.png
Logo_Primary_Dark_Blue.webp
wagRViuE_400x400.jpg
Website inspo-2.jpg

Careers.

We constantly search for people who aren't afraid to ask the challenging questions and advocate for the understudied. If this sounds like you, we'd love to chat. 

bottom of page