Researcher from Hill's Pet Nutrition and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health bolster partnership to progress pet microbiome studies and technological advancements.
Bold Advancements in Microbiome Research: Hill's Pet Nutrition and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Unite
strap: Enhancing pet and human health with the One Health Microbiome Resource
In the spirit of Pet Appreciation Week (June 1-7), Hill's Pet Nutrition, a renowned player in science-backed pet nutrition, and Dr. Curtis Huttenhower, a trailblazing researcher from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, announce the joint launch of a game-changing web portal – the One Health Microbiome Resource (OHMR).
The OHMR serves as an epicenter for collaboration, bringing together academia, research institutions, and the pet care industry. It offers valuable resources such as standardized protocols, computational tools, and a vast database of pet gut microbiomes, all designed to help further our understanding of the role of microbiomes in maintaining pet health and tackling diseases. The portal boasts over 2,000 samples, sourced from diverse demographics and clinical diagnoses, making it the first centralized hub for the study of pet microbiomes [1].
By providing this wealth of information, OHMR is poised to fuel groundbreaking research in the field. Encouraging the free exchange of knowledge within the scientific community, the OHMR fosters collaboration and accelerates the pace of microbiome science, leading to new nutritional strategies and therapeutic interventions for both pets and their human counterparts.
Dr. Huttenhower, Professor of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics at Harvard Chan School, emphasized the importance of the OHMR, stating, "The launch of the OHMR portal is a testament to the power of collaboration, allowing us to accelerate the pace of scientific research and to translate its findings more rapidly into benefits for both pets and their owners" [2].
Hill's Pet Nutrition, with a seven-decade background in pet microbiome research, recognizes the significant impact of gut microbiomes on pet health and disease. Leveraging their unparalleled expertise in this area, the team is dedicated to groundbreaking advancements in pet nutrition and overall wellness. As Huttenhower continued, "Our pets' diets and environments represent a microcosm of human nutrition, and as a result, pets' microbiomes are a particularly powerful tool for diagnostics, preventative care, and ensuring treatment effectiveness through interactions with food and medicine" [2].
Hill's has already funded several studies using OHMR data, contributing to valuable discoveries. One, published in the International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) Journal, explores the OHMR's collection of companion animal gut metagenomes, providing unparalleled insight into the previously unexplored microscopic world within pets. An additional study, published in the journal mSystems, delves into the impact of different dietary fiber sources on canine health, mirroring findings from human health studies and paving the way for innovative product development.
The team at Hill's Pet Nutrition envisions a world where the knowledge gained from the OHMR transforms the lives of pets and their families. "For over a decade, Hill's has been deeply invested in pet microbiome research, and the OHMR represents a significant step forward in our commitment to improving pet health," said Dave Baloga, Executive Vice President of Science & Technology at Hill's Pet Nutrition [2].
To learn more about this revolutionary work and its potential to benefit pets and their owners, visit onehealthmicrobiome.org.
Source:
[1] Cision PR Newswire. (2025, May 27). Hill's Pet Nutrition and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researcher deepen collaboration to advance pet microbiome science and innovation. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hills-pet-nutrition-and-harvard-th-chan-school-of-public-health-researcher-deepen-collaboration-to-advance-pet-microbiome-science-and-innovation-302466236.html
[2] Hill's Pet Nutrition. (n.d.). One Health Microbiome Resource. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://onehealthmicrobiome.org
[3] Hill's Pet Nutrition. (n.d.). Our research approach. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.hillspet.com/us/en/research
[4] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Curtis Huttenhower. Retrieved May 27, 2025, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/huttenhower-lab/
- The One Health Microbiome Resource (OHMR), a collaborative platform between Hill's Pet Nutrition and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, includes information on pet gut microbiomes that may help tackle various medical-conditions and improve health-and-wellness.
- Hill's Pet Nutrition has funded several studies using OHMR data, focusing on the role of microbiomes in pet health, which has significance in human health and technology, particularly in understanding the impact of diet on medical-conditions like obesity and diabetes.
- In the future, as advancements in science continue, it is possible that technologies such as cloud computing and news platforms might feature stories on the groundbreaking research conducted through the One Health Microbiome Resource, highlighting its impact on both pet and human health and wellness.
