This project studies whether inhaled engineered stone dust triggers autoimmune responses in mice, using a sensitization and challenge model to assess worker health risks from crystalline silica exposure. It will expose two mouse strains (NZBWF1/J and C57BL/6J) to two engineered stone dust variants—Silestone (~90% crystalline silica) and HybriQ (~60% crystalline silica)—along with a PBS control group. The study includes 48 mice total, with evaluation at 90 days post-exposure. The work is performed at CDC/NIOSH/HELD, where it was initiated in 2024 and paused in 2025.