Research on diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy wins AKC CHF Health Discovery Award

Lisa Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), Professor of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, was awarded the first-ever Health Discovery Award from the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Health Foundation (CHF) in December 2025. As a faculty member in the Cardiology Service and a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, Freeman was nominated for her research focused on diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs.

Freeman’s research team published their discovery of a urinary biomarker in dogs eating diets high in pulses (peas, lentils, chickpeas, and beans). She documented elevated urinary concentrations of di-docosahexaenoyl (22:6)-bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate (di-22:6-BMP), a marker of phospholipidosis, a condition in which excess lipids accumulate within cells and contribute to cell and tissue damage. This is the first step in determining if phospholipidosis is part of the etiology of diet-associated DCM in dogs.

“Diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy is one of the most pressing unanswered questions in modern veterinary medicine,” the CHF’s announcement of Freeman’s research explained.

About the CHF Health Discovery Award

The award was announced at the AKC CHF Canines and Cocktails Gala in Orlando, FL, on December 11, 2025. Freeman was selected from a group of three finalists, whose research included safe and effective cooling methods for dogs and genetic risks for obesity in Labrador retrievers.

“This award shines a light on the discoveries that not only improve canine health but transform it,” said Stephanie Montgomery, CEO of the AKC Canine Health Foundation. “In many cases, these advancements ripple into human medicine as well, highlighting our interconnectedness and elevating the importance of pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery.”

The prize included up to $75,000 in potential research funding and a $10,000 cash prize.

Future research

According to Freeman’s research article, the presence of di-22:6-BMP in dogs’ urine has not been confirmed to be exclusively of cardiac origin. Therefore, future research will be needed to determine from which tissues di-22:6-BMP is produced in dogs fed high-pulse diets.

Freeman’s research also highlighted the need to understand other factors that could affect di-22:6-BMP levels, including the length of time the dog consumed a high-pulse diet, high much food they eat, and a dog’s stage of heart disease.

The Canine Health Foundation is currently accepting nominations for the 2026 Health Discovery Award through April 2026.

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