Scientists are calling for all good girls and boys. This week researchers debuted a new project that is called “citizen science project.” The project is going to include around 10,000 furry friends. And the study is to understand aging both in humans and in dogs. Scientists are asking dog owners across the United States to volunteer their dogs to participate in this research. This research is named DAP, i.e., Dog Aging Project. This research is a collaboration between scientists at Texas A&M University and the University of Washington. Scientists claimed that by gathering data from several dog samples along their entire lifespan, Scientists could get a better understanding of environmental and biological factors that influence aging in both humans as well as dogs. This kind of population studies routinely conducted on the human population. However, the project is the largest of its kind, ever done on dogs.
Daniel Promislow, an aging researcher from the University of Washington, is co-director of the project. He told NBC that facts gathered are not just potentially good for the dogs but also have great potential to interpret human health as well. Prospective citizen scientist name given to dog owners included in the survey. These dog owners are from the US, excluding US territories, and they were asked to nominate their pups for the project (one dog per family). For inclusion in the project, they have to fill a short survey that asks them to list down basic information regarding the pet, such as age, breed, and where their pup sleep in the house. If they clear the first round of the survey, then after selection, they’ll receive few other surveys and a kit to collect their fur friend’s slobbery spit for the DNA testing. They have to visit a vet for annual check-ups, where some of the dogs might have their urine, blood, and other bodily-samples collected by extra kits that are also provided by the project.
The research is estimated to cost around twenty-three million dollars and covered by federal grants provided by the National Institute on Aging. The research is estimated to take about five years to complete. Scientists have promised that once the data is processed, they will make it openly available to other researchers.
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