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Name of Submitter:
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Rex Chisholm
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Title of proposed idea:
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A US National Cohort for Health, Genomics and Environment
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What is the major obstacle/challenge in the biomedical research field? What is needed to overcome this obstacle/challenge?
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We currently have only a rudimentary understanding of the genetic and environmental contributions to health of the US population. Efforts such as the Framingham study have contributed significantly, but represent a relatively focused study. |
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What emerging scientific opportunity is ripe for investment by the Common Fund?
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Genomics (and other "-omics" approaches) have matured to the point that they can be applied to large populations. What is missing is a well phenotyped population, and methods to measure their environment. |
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What are the potential Common Fund investments that could accelerate scientific progress in this field?
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(1)Establishing a representative US national cohort whose data would be widely available to the scientific community.
(2)Supporting the development of new methods to measure, quantify and document environment
(3)Establish a common informatics infrastructure to integrate phenotype, genotypes and environmental measures |
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If a Common Fund program on this topic achieved its objectives, what would be the impact?
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We would have a platform that would enable research that would likely improve our understanding of environmental and genetic factors contributing to health and disease. |
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