Understanding how urban rats affect children's asthma
Official title: Urban rat exposure and pediatric asthma
Funded at Tufts University Boston · NIH-11161547 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how exposure to rats in city environments might make asthma worse for children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $166,679 |
| NIH project number | 5K08ES035460-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11161547 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on inner-city children with asthma, particularly those who may be exposed to rat allergens.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have asthma or live in environments without significant rat exposure may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
We are exploring the connection between rat exposure and how severe asthma is in children living in cities. Our approach uses new ways to estimate rat exposure, including studying rat populations and looking at public records of rat-related complaints near children's homes and schools. We are working with existing groups of inner-city children who are already part of other health projects. The goal is to see if understanding rat populations can help us reduce the allergens they produce.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or reduce asthma symptoms in children by controlling rat populations in urban areas.
How similar studies have gone: This is a unique and novel approach, as it is the first to specifically connect rat population dynamics with asthma severity.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rosenbaum, Marieke Hilarides — Tufts University Boston
- Study coordinator: Rosenbaum, Marieke Hilarides
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Urban rat exposure and pediatric asthma in inner-city children
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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.