Environmental Exposome in Dogs and Humans for Healthy Aging
Official title: Core D: Environmental Exposome Core
Funded at Tufts University Boston · NIH-11420291 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A national study using pet dogs to understand how environmental exposures affect aging and bladder cancer risk, with findings that could also inform human health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $575,945 |
| NIH project number | 1U19AG092282-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11420291 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are owned dogs under veterinary care whose owners are willing to participate in surveys and allow environmental exposure measurements via collar tags.
✕Less likely to help
Not all dogs will experience measurable changes in aging or disease risk from the exposures studied, especially if exposures are low or not causal.
What this research studies
This grant supports a program that looks at how the environment around a dog’s home—air quality, chemicals, weather, and daily activities—contributes to aging and disease. Researchers will collect survey data on dogs’ behavior, diet, activity, and living environment, and add direct measurements of environmental exposures using silicone tags on collars. The project will analyze a wide range of exposures, including pollutants, pesticides, plastics, and PFAS, to see how they relate to aging and bladder cancer risk in dogs and humans. By studying dogs, who share our environment, the team aims to uncover broad factors that influence healthy aging and disease prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify environmental factors linked to healthier aging and lower bladder cancer risk, informing prevention strategies for people and pets.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in the Dog Aging Project has demonstrated the feasibility of collecting behavioral and environmental data at scale, with growing links between exposures and health outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chiu, Weihsueh a — Tufts University Boston
- Study coordinator: Chiu, Weihsueh a
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.