Exploring environmental factors in childhood autoimmune diseases
Official title: Development of Foundational Collaborations and Capabilities to Advance Exposome Research in Childhood-onset Rheumatic Diseases and other Pediatric Autoimmune Conditions
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-10868992 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is bringing together doctors and researchers to explore how things in our environment might affect kids with autoimmune diseases, like arthritis, so they can find better ways to treat these conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $486,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AR084034-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10868992 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children and adolescents diagnosed with rheumatic diseases or other autoimmune conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with adult-onset autoimmune diseases or those not diagnosed with any autoimmune conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to build collaborations among pediatric investigators to study how environmental factors, known as the exposome, influence childhood-onset rheumatic diseases and other autoimmune conditions. By leveraging existing networks and resources, such as the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) and the Genomic Information Commons (GIC), the project seeks to create new research tools and teams that can enhance understanding of these diseases. The focus is on collecting and analyzing data from a large registry of children with autoimmune conditions to identify potential triggers and improve future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and management of childhood autoimmune diseases, potentially improving outcomes for affected children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in understanding the exposome's role in autoimmune diseases, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Natter, Marc David — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Natter, Marc David
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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.