About us
Our Story
At ProsperK9, our goal is to bring the exciting world of genetics and epigenetics to dog lovers everywhere. We're passionate about using the latest DNA technology to uncover fascinating details about our furry friends.
Most dog DNA tests can tell you your dog's breed, but we go a step further. Our tests look at the entire genetic blueprint of your dog, offering a much deeper insight. But that's not all – we also explore the world of epigenetics to find out your dog's age. How? By looking at tiny changes that happen in their DNA as they grow older. These changes don't alter the DNA sequence, but they give us clues about your dog's age.
What's really exciting is that from the same DNA analysis, we can learn about your dog's personality traits. This means understanding their energy levels and how they might react to new people.
And there's more! We've developed a special test for your dog's oral health. This test checks the health of their mouth at a microscopic level, helping you decide if they need a different diet or dental care.
Our mission at ProsperK9 is to keep innovating and learning more about dogs. We want every dog owner to have the chance to understand their pet better, thanks to the amazing science of genetics and epigenetics. If you're interested in contributing to our study by providing a DNA sample from your dog, please reach out to us at info@prosperK9.com. Include your name, address, and details about your dog such as their name, age, weight, breed, diet, and health information. Your participation will assist in developing advanced tests to enhance the well-being of our beloved pets!
Our Founder
ProsperK9 was started by Prof Matteo Pellegrini. His lab at UCLA has been developing methods to study epigenetics and dog aging. He is a proud dog owner, and knows how much we all invest in taking the best possible care of our dogs. He is passionate about bringing the cutting edge science that is being developed in his lab to the public. He is committed to making ProsperK9 the premiere company for epigenetic testing.
Our Scientific Advisors
To ensure that Prosperk9 remains at the cutting edge of scientific discovery we are advised by world experts in canine genetics and microbiomes. Our advisors include:
Bridgett vonHoldt, who is an evolutionary biologist who specializes in genomic analysis of North American canines. She is an Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University and champions the value of mixed genetic ancestry for endangered species conservation. Her research focuses on evolutionary genomics of admixed canine species across hybrid zones, with her researching having significant conservation applications for endangered species like the red wolf. Bridgett is the founder and director of the North American Canine Ancestry Project, as well as a co-founder and lead geneticist for the Gulf Coast Canine Project.
Aldons J. Lusis. Professor of Microbiology, Medicine and Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles. The Lusis laboratory uses a combination of genetics, molecular biology, and informatics to investigate pathways underlying common cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. They exploit natural genetic variation among inbred strains of mice and human populations to identify novel targets and formulate hypotheses. A major focus has been the interactions of lipid metabolism and inflammation in cardiovascular disease, as well as the role of the gut microbiome. Our current work is focused on the integration of natural genetic variation and multi-omics data, an approach known as “systems genetics”. To facilitate this we have developed a novel mapping approach in mice that is analogous to genome-wide association studies in humans.
Dr. Stephanie Lifton graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. After a few years in general practice, she completed her residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at University of Pennsylvania in 1995. Dr. Lifton worked at a large specialty referral hospital in LA before moving into a position as an Internal Medicine Consultant at Antech Diagnostics. Stephanie's happy place is the outdoors. She loves hiking & backpacking in the mountains; she's been known to kayak, sail, ride bicycles & horses, & cross-country ski. She does yoga, lifts weights & climbs at the rock gym regularly and competed in dog agility before her current dog needed to retire. Stephanie loves to travel, especially if it involves watching whales. She's an avid reader, crossword puzzle solver & photographer. Dr. Lifton currently resides in Austin, TX.