“An Open Science Study of Ageing in Companion Dogs”, 2022-02-02 (; similar):
The Dog Aging Project (DAP) is a long-term longitudinal study of ageing in tens of thousands [>30k] of companion dogs.
The domestic dog is among the most variable mammal species in terms of morphology, behavior, risk of age-related disease and life expectancy. Given that dogs share the human environment and have a sophisticated healthcare system but are much shorter-lived than people, they offer an unique opportunity to identify the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors associated with healthy lifespan.
To take advantage of this opportunity, the Dog Aging Project will collect extensive survey data, environmental information, electronic veterinary medical records, genome-wide sequence information, clinicopathology and molecular phenotypes derived from blood cells, plasma and faecal samples.
Here, we describe the specific goals and design of the Dog Aging Project and discuss the potential for this open-data, community science study to greatly enhance understanding of ageing in a genetically variable, socially relevant species living in a complex environment.
Objectives—science of ageing
Define normative ageing in dogs as a function of breed, size and sex
Identify genetic and environmental determinants of age-specific morbidity and mortality in companion dogs
Develop panels of prognostic and predictive biomarkers
Increase the duration of healthy lifespan in dogs
Objectives—open science
Create an open-data resource for comprehensive study of the genetic and environmental determinants of healthy ageing in companion dogs
Provide researchers with access to biospecimens through the DAP Biobank, together with the detailed longitudinal data associated with each biospecimen
Build and maintain a research infrastructure that allows for addition of new studies within the DAP framework
Study and promote ethical approaches for research in companion animals
…The DAP has 4 primary scientific aims. These include (1) characterizing ageing in companion dogs on 3 separate axes: multimorbidity, frailty and inflammaging; (2) using low-coverage whole-genome sequencing with imputation on at least 10,000 dogs to analyse the genetic architecture of age-related traits in dogs; (3) collecting metabolome, epigenome and microbiome profiles to develop biomarkers of ageing in dogs [epigenetic clock] and to better understand the mechanisms by which genetic, environmental and lifestyle variation influence ageing; and (4) carrying out a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study to determine the effects of rapamycin on lifespan and healthspan in large-breed, middle-aged dogs.
See Also:
“Transient rapamycin treatment can increase lifespan and healthspan in middle-aged mice”
“Genetic testing of dogs predicts problem behaviors in clinical and nonclinical samples”
“The effect of inbreeding, body size and morphology on health in dog breeds”
“Complex feline disease mapping using a dense genotyping array”