Home-based monitoring of environmental exposures and biology for autoimmune diseases
Remote Exposome Monitoring for Autoimmune Diseases
This project develops ways for people with autoimmune conditions to collect environmental and biological data at home so researchers can link exposures to health changes over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11363408 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As someone with an autoimmune condition, you would use mailed kits and remote sensors to capture your local environment (air, allergens, pollution) and provide small biological samples over time. The research team will run advanced -omics tests on those home-collected samples to look for patterns that relate exposures to disease activity or flares. By relying on remote, at-home methods instead of frequent clinic visits, the project aims to include people who live far from academic centers and to collect data more often. The work will produce tools and protocols to support larger future studies of the exposome in autoimmune disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with diagnosed autoimmune diseases who can receive kits at home, provide small biological samples, and share health information remotely.
Not a fit: People without autoimmune conditions, those unable to use mail-in kits or lacking internet/phone access, or those needing immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make research more inclusive and reveal environmental triggers that help prevent or better manage autoimmune flares.
How similar studies have performed: Remote monitoring and wearable sensors have been used successfully in other conditions, but combining frequent home sampling with longitudinal -omics in autoimmune disease is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liao, Wilson — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Liao, Wilson
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 below.