Early-life household air pollution and DNA changes linked to childhood respiratory health in Guatemalan kids
Official title: Effects of Early Life Exposure to Household Air Pollution on DNA Methylation and Respiratory Disease in Guatemalan Children from the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) Trial
Funded at University of Georgia · NIH-11411148 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how exposure to smoke from solid fuel at home in early life may affect DNA and respiratory health in Guatemalan children enrolled in the HAPIN trial.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Georgia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Athens, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $408,435 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL163256-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11411148 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children born to families enrolled in the HAPIN trial in Guatemala who experienced early-life exposure to household air pollution and have available biological samples for methylation analysis.
✕Less likely to help
Families with no access to or benefit from the LPG intervention or without available biological samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine how household air pollution in early life influences DNA methylation and respiratory outcomes in children from Guatemala who were part of the HAPIN trial. The project uses data from gestation through early childhood, leveraging a randomized LPG stove intervention to create exposure differences. By combining biological markers with lung health measures, the study aims to connect early environment with later respiratory risk in a way that could inform cleaner cooking solutions for families. The work relies on previously collected health data and new DNA methylation analyses to identify potential long-term impacts on lung function and disease risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could strengthen the case for clean cooking interventions to protect children's lung development and reduce future respiratory disease risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown signals that early-life exposures can influence epigenetic marks and respiratory outcomes, with the HAPIN trial offering a strong randomized exposure contrast.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Georgia
Athens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mccracken, John Patrick — University of Georgia
- Study coordinator: Mccracken, John Patrick
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Household air pollution and child DNA changes tied to later lung health
A study in Guatemalan children looks at how early exposure to smoky kitchen fuel changes DNA and could influence respiratory health as they grow.
-
Genetic testing and specialist care for rare causes of chronic lung, sinus, and ear infections
This project offers stepwise genetic testing and specialty referrals to find rare inherited causes of recurring lung, sinus, and ear infections in children and adults.
-
Quantitative imaging to find chronic lung disease in high-risk patients
A project will use advanced chest CT image analysis to detect chronic lung diseases early in veterans, aiming to help people who might otherwise go undiagnosed.
-
Understanding lung diseases by combining genetic data and big biobank information
A big research project will look at genes, health data, and other biological information from diverse people to better understand why COPD and asthma develop and vary across populations.
-
Long-term endotypes of prematurity-related lung disease in former preemies
A long-term study looking at why some babies born very early develop lasting breathing problems and how their genes might explain these different paths.
-
Integrating real-world data to better predict respiratory disease spread
A research team at Georgetown University is using real-world data to build models that better predict how respiratory diseases spread over time and across places, helping policymakers and clinicians plan better responses.
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.