DESCRIPTION
RESEARCH, NETWORKING, TRAINING
The population cohorts used in the Genomeutwin study consist of Danish, Finnish, Italian, Dutch, English, Australian and Swedish twins and the MORGAM population cohort.
Yellow: Twin cohorts (also MORGAM cohorts in UK, Denmark, Sweden, Finland)
Blue: MORGAM cohorts
Specific research objectives
To develop novel strategies to utilize maximally the unique features of European population cohorts in the characterization of complex traits
To utilize the synergy between twin cohorts and population cohorts in studies of genetic and life style risk predictors
To develop new molecular and computational methods for genome-wide analyses of population cohorts for specific traits (stature, BMI, migraine, coronary heart disease and stroke,longevity)
General research objectives
To develop intellectual European framework to stimulate inventions and novel strategies to utilize maximally the unique features of population cohorts (longitudinal data and sample information about life-style and environmental factors)
To guarantee the access of European investigators to the epidemiological, phenotypic and genotypic information on European population cohorts
To create unique infrastructure for research into common diseases and the training of scientists in quantitative biology.
PROJECT WORKPLAN
The participating 8 twin cohorts form an amazing collection of over 0.6 million pairs of twins. Tens of thousands of DNA samples with informed consents for genetic studies of common diseases have already been stored from these population-based twin cohorts. Just as the twin studies, the WHO MONICA (www.ktl.fi/monica) collaboration has a long and successful history of conducting multicentre research, which makes it ideal for embarking on genetic studies of complex, multifactorial diseases. Studies targeted to cardiovascular traits are now being undertaken in MORGAM, a prospective case-cohort study. MORGAM cohorts include approximately 6000 individuals, drawn from population-based cohorts consisting of more than 80 000 participants who have donated DNA samples. These unique study samples will be analysed in four intellectual core facilities of this integrated project using accumulated expertise by partners in genetics, epidemiology and biostatistics and the summarized flow sheet of the project workplan is provided below.
Intellectual core facilities
• DNA isolation and genotyping (Helsinki,Uppsala)
• Epidemiological expertise (Odense)
• Database expertise (Stockholm)
• Biocomputing expertise (Leiden)
• Ethical and legal expertise (Oslo)
Schedule
Project started 1 Sep 2002. Project duration is 4 years.
This project is supported by the European Commission under the programme
'Quality of Life and Management of the Living Resources' of 5th Framework
Programme (no. QLG2-CT-2002-01254).
