“Your Breast Milk is Killing Your Baby”
How 7 Words Started the Infant Food Allergy Movement
(Meet Dr.Trill)
Trillitye Paullin, Ph.D.
Dr. Trill is a molecular biologist, patented inventor, and biotech executive who founded Free to Feed™ to solve a critical gap in infant health: the lack of evidence-based solutions for families managing food allergies while breastfeeding.
A recognized leader in maternal-infant health innovation, Dr. Trill is the Principal Investigator of multiple grant-funded studies, including research supported by the National Science Foundation and the Idaho Chamber of Commerce. She recently completed a human factors study validating the usability of Free to Feed’s™ at-home allergen detection system, one of the first designed specifically for human milk. Her research led to the first U.S. patent for detecting dietary proteins in breast milk.
With over 15 years of lab and field experience, Dr. Trill brings scientific rigor grounded in personal experience. Her journey began in 2015 when her newborn daughter was hospitalized due to severe food allergies. After being told her breast milk was harming her child, she removed entire food groups from her diet to continue nursing. Years later, when her second daughter showed similar reactivity, Dr. Trill realized the healthcare system still had no answers or tools for families like hers. So, she built them.
Free to Feed™ was born out of the lab, the NICU, and the real-life urgency of parents seeking safe, informed feeding options. Today, the company provides evidence-based education, clinical support, and is advancing the first technology designed to empower parents to detect food allergens directly in their milk. The company is now based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, a global hub for biotechnology and life science innovation.
Dr. Trill brings more than scientific expertise to this mission. She brings discipline and leadership forged over 20 years of service in the Army National Guard. She is a retired combat veteran who deployed to Iraq in 2007-2008. After returning home, she continued her service by supporting state emergency response operations for hurricanes, floods, blizzards, and more. Her commitment to service has shaped every phase of her life, from the battlefield to the lab bench.
Her educational background includes:
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Ph.D. in Cellular & Molecular Biology (University of South Florida), focused on proteomics
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B.S. in Biology and Chemistry (Minot State University)
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Pat Tillman Scholar
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Stanford Hoover Institution Veteran Fellow
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Stanford Data Science for Social Good Fellow
In addition to leading Free to Feed,™ Dr. Trill serves as Chief Science Officer for two biotechnology firms, Nova Vita Laboratories and Restore Biologics, where she oversees research in regenerative medicine, peptide therapeutics, and clinical-grade biologics. Her work in exosome biology, proteomics, and multi-omic research continues to inform both product development and translational medicine efforts.
She is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from maternal health and immunology to food allergy, regenerative medicine, and veteran entrepreneurship, with appearances at clinical panels, investor forums, and national parenting platforms. Her voice is trusted by both the scientific community and families navigating the realities of pediatric food allergy.
A lifelong advocate for service and impact, Dr. Trill has led community projects through The Mission Continues, including rebuilding school gardens, renovating shelters, and mentoring youth in underserved areas. Her work in both public and private sectors is driven by the belief that parents deserve better tools and real answers when their children are in crisis.
