How growing up on farms versus in suburbs shapes children's microbes, immunity, and breathing health
Interactions Between the Microbiome, Immunity and Respiratory Health in Traditional Agrarian and Suburban children
This project compares gut and nose microbes and immune patterns in farm-raised and suburban children to learn how those differences relate to allergies and asthma risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322005 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my child joins, researchers will collect stool and nasal samples, medical histories, and clinical information from infancy through early childhood to track infections, allergies, and breathing problems. They compare children raised in traditional agrarian (farm) environments with suburban children to see how different microbial exposures change immune responses and airway cell behavior. The team measures the microbiome, immune markers (including nasal gene expression), and clinical outcomes like atopic dermatitis and wheezing. Results are used to look for protective patterns that might guide future prevention of allergies and asthma.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Infants and young children—particularly those growing up on farms or in suburban settings—and their families who can provide stool and nasal samples and health information are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with long-established adult asthma or those unwilling to provide samples and follow-up data are unlikely to get direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal microbial or immune signatures that lead to new ways to prevent or reduce childhood allergies and asthma.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked farm childhoods with lower allergy and asthma rates, and this project builds on that by adding detailed microbiome and airway gene-expression data.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gern, James E. — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Gern, James E.
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.