Amish farm air and cow barn substances protecting kids’ lungs from RV and asthma
Official title: Anti-viral defense by natural microbial environmental agents
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11552869 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how natural substances from traditional Amish farm environments may help prevent asthma in children by protecting their lungs from rhinovirus infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | August 12, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $806,740 |
| NIH project number | 1R56AI201174-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11552869 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children, especially those at risk for asthma or with a family history, and caregivers interested in environmental factors affecting lung health.
✕Less likely to help
Children with asthma already well-controlled or those unlikely to be exposed to farm-related environmental agents may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores how everyday environmental agents found in Amish farm settings, especially cow barn dust, influence the lung’s defense against rhinovirus in children. Researchers use animal models and human observational data to identify immune pathways that are activated by these environmental exposures and how they relate to reduced asthma risk. The goal is to uncover mechanisms that could inspire new ways to prevent asthma in kids who are at risk from viral infections. The work builds on observations that Amish children have lower asthma rates and may involve translating those clues into human-relevant insights.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these natural exposures could lead to new, safer strategies to reduce asthma risk in children.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in Amish and Hutterite populations suggest environmental factors can influence asthma risk, with some protective effects demonstrated in animal models.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vercelli, Donata — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Vercelli, Donata
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.