HILL'S PET NUTRITION AND HARVARD T.H. CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCHER DEEPEN COLLABORATION TO ADVANCE PET MICROBIOME SCIENCE AND INNOVATION

New web portal launched to give researchers unprecedented access to microbiome data to improve pet and human health

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of Pet Appreciation Week (June 1-7), Hill's Pet Nutrition, a global leader in science-led nutrition, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researcher Dr. Curtis Huttenhower are proud to announce a strengthened collaboration and launch of a comprehensive new web portal for the One Health Microbiome Resource (OHMR).

The web portal serves as a central resource across academia and industry, fostering dialogue and providing valuable resources, including standardized protocols and computational tools, to study the role of the microbiome in maintaining pet health and understanding disease. It also provides the first centralized repository for studies of the pet gut microbiome, featuring over 2,000 samples spanning diverse demographics and clinical diagnoses. This combination of information, data, and resources will help to fuel groundbreaking research in this critical area. The free exchange of knowledge within the scientific community fosters collaboration and advances microbiome science by paving the way for new nutritional strategies and therapeutic interventions.

"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," said Dr. Huttenhower, Professor of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics at Harvard Chan School. "We all love our pets, and understanding their microbiomes can provide insight into not only their health, but our own as well. 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."

Building on the team's pioneering work to create the largest and most comprehensive profiles of human and pet microbiomes publicly available, Dr. Huttenhower and Hill's continue to leverage their combined expertise to unlock new insights into the interconnected health of pets, their owners, and the environment by integrating these data with information for pet parents, scientists, and veterinarians on how to interpret and get involved with this exciting area of research.

"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. "This dynamic hub provides the scientific community with unprecedented access to data, propelling groundbreaking research and driving innovation in pet nutrition. We're already seeing the OHMR's impact, and we're incredibly excited about its potential to transform the lives of pets for years to come."

Using OHMR data, Hill's Pet Nutrition has already funded several groundbreaking studies revealing new insights into the pet gut microbiome. One published recently in the International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) Journal details the OHMR's collection of companion animal gut metagenomes, deepening our understanding of the microscopic world within our pets. This research has significant implications for understanding diseases, supporting the immune system, and even influencing specific microbial chemical activities. An additional study in the journal mSystems, using information from the OHMR, provides the first understanding of how different dietary fiber sources can improve canine health, consistent with findings from human health studies and opening the potential for new product development.

With a 75-year legacy of science-led nutrition, Hill's Pet Nutrition is pioneering advancements in pet microbiome research. Recognizing the profound impact of the gut microbiome on pet health and disease, Hill's leverages its world-class Global Pet Nutrition Center and leading-edge technology to explore how nutrition can optimize the microbiome for improved digestion and overall well-being. Scientific research has shown that elements of the gut microbiome can influence both the process and the results of pets' digestion, and Hill's is at the forefront of developing nutritional strategies to support these beneficial microbial communities.

"It's all connected – our pets' health, our health, and the world around us," said Baloga. "The gut and skin microbiomes of pets and humans are surprisingly overlapping, and these tiny organisms play a huge role in everything from digestion and immunity to behavior and energy levels. When these microbiomes are disturbed and lose their normal ecological balance, it can lead to all sorts of problems. That's why Hill's is so committed to understanding how diet, disease, and the environment affect the pet microbiome. This new research will give us the knowledge we need to help our pets live healthier, happier lives, and we're excited to share these discoveries with pet owners everywhere."

To learn more about this important work and its potential to improve the lives of pets and their families, visit onehealthmicrobiome.org.

About Hill's Pet Nutrition  
Founded more than 75 years ago with an unwavering commitment to science-led pet nutrition, Hill's Pet Nutrition is on a mission to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets. Hill's is dedicated to pioneering research for dogs and cats using a scientific understanding of their specific needs. As a leading veterinarian recommended pet food brand, knowledge is our first ingredient with nearly 200 veterinarians, PhD nutritionists and food scientists working to develop breakthrough innovations in pet health. Hill's Prescription Diet therapeutic nutrition plus our everyday wellness product line, Hill's Science Diet, are sold at vet clinics and pet specialty retailers worldwide. For more information about our products and nutritional philosophy, visit HillsPet.com. 

Media Contact: Stephanie Peplinski, stephanie.peplinski@vml.com

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