How a father's diet affects the health of his children
Official title: Molecular sensors for metabolic programming of the sperm epigenome and offspring physiology
Funded at Utah State University · NIH-11059208 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how a father's diet and health can affect his children's metabolism and risk of obesity, using a special mouse model to explore how these traits are passed down, with the hope of finding ways to improve the health of future generations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Logan, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2021 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $307,934 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD103027-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11059208 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are fathers who are concerned about their dietary habits and how these may affect their children's health, particularly those with a family history of obesity.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not fathers or who do not have children may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the father's metabolic health and diet can influence the epigenetic information passed to his children, potentially affecting their metabolism and risk of obesity. By studying a special mouse model that mimics low levels of a key metabolic molecule, NAD+, the researchers aim to uncover the mechanisms behind these inherited traits. The findings could help identify dietary factors that may improve the health of future generations. This research is particularly focused on understanding the link between paternal nutrition and childhood health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new dietary recommendations for fathers to improve the health of their children and reduce the risk of childhood obesity.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results regarding the impact of paternal diet on offspring health, indicating that this area of study is gaining traction and relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State University
Logan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meyer-Ficca, Mirella L — Utah State University
- Study coordinator: Meyer-Ficca, Mirella L
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.