Golden Retriever Lifetime Study Data and Samples Available for Research
Morris Animal Foundation's Golden Retriever Lifetime Study grants researchers access to extensive longitudinal canine health data and biospecimens for studies on cancer, genetics, and related topics.
Funder: Morris Animal Foundation
Due Dates: Rolling (proposals accepted year-round; next cycle opens January 12, 2026)
Funding Amounts: No direct research funding; access to data and biospecimens is provided. Academic/nonprofit users pay only shipping/retrieval fees; industry partners pay access fees (starting at $10,000 for pilot projects).
Summary: Provides access to the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study’s extensive longitudinal canine health data and biospecimens for research on genetics, cancer, and related topics.
Key Information: No research grants are awarded—support is limited to data/sample access; proposals must coordinate sample availability in advance.
Description
The Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study Data and Samples program offers researchers access to one of the world’s most comprehensive repositories of longitudinal canine health data and biospecimens. The resource includes annual owner and veterinarian surveys, clinical data, and a wide array of biological samples (blood, serum, urine, feces, DNA, hair, nail clippings, tissue) collected from over 3,000 golden retrievers since 2012. The primary focus is on cancer (osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, mast cell tumors), but the repository also supports research on other diseases, genetics, nutrition, environmental exposures, behavior, and more. Researchers from academia, government, nonprofit, and industry sectors are encouraged to apply for access to address critical questions in canine health.
