DNA sample collections

Being a part of the National Public Health Institute, we have participated in the collection of large epidemiological and genetic DNA-materials, aiming mainly to study multifactorial, common traits. These samples are routinely extracted to DNA and easily accessed. We support the scientific use of these sample collections by academic institutions and engourage scientists to contact the persons described at each sample set for inquiries. The most important sample collections we store are:

The Finnish Twin Cohort Study
FINRISK-92
FINRISK-97
Special sample sets 


The Finnish Twin Cohort Study 
This is a DNA collection consisting of several independent genetic studies of chronic disease on twins. The collection of samples started in 1993 and byt the end of the year 1999 we have collected and extracted DNA-samples from 8591 twins. The collection is ongoing. Please consult Dr. Jaakko Kaprio for more details and use of the samples. More information about the study can also be obtained from The Finnish Twin Cohort Study - web site 

Reference: Kaprio J. Lessons from twin studies in Finland. Annals of
Medicine 1994; 26:135-139.

FINRISK-92 
This is a part of continuum of FINRISK (other studies in 1972, 1977, 1982, 1997) studies, designed to assess the levels of coronary risk factors in Finland. The design is cross sectional population survey stratified so that at least 250 subjects of each sex and 10 year age group (25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64) were chosen in each area. The protocol is the same that established by the MONICA project (an international study conducted under the auspices of the World Health Organization to monitor trends in and determinants of mortality from cardiovascular disease). Please consult Dr. Erkki Vartiainen for more details and usage of the samples. 

Blood for DNA was drawn from each participant in the year 1997. The
total number of DNA samples is 5854, which are all extracted. 

References: Vartiainen E, Puska P, Pekkanen J, Tuomilehto J, Jousilahti
P. Changes in risk factors explain changes in mortality from ischaemic
heart disease in Finland. BMJ 1994; 309: 23-27.

FINRISK-97 
This is a part of continuum of FINRISK (other studies in 1972, 1977, 1982, 1992) studies, designed to assess the levels of coronary risk factors in Finland. The design is cross sectional population survey stratified so that at least 250 subjects of each sex and 10 year age group (25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64) were chosen in each area. The protocol is the same that established by the MONICA project (an international study conducted under the auspices of the World Health Organization to monitor trends in and determinants of mortality from cardiovascular disease). 

Please consult Dr. Erkki Vartiainen for more details and usage of the
samples. 

Blood for DNA was drawn from each participant in the year 1997. The
total number of DNA samples is 8237, of which we have extracted
4430 samples (updated January 20th, 2000) 

Special sample sets 

We do have also some already-collected and diluted sample sets designed for a special purpose that are described below. These can be aliquotted within a day. For academic users, no extract authorship requirements etc. attachements is wanted by us, acknowledgement is generally enough, depending on the scientific contribution provided by
us.

Regional samples of Finland 
We have collected a population-based, sex and age stratified samples of Finnish people from the Eastern Finland (North Karelia, Kuopio Province), Western Finland (Turku-Loimaa area) and Helsinki area. The samples are collected in such a way that the both parents of an individual are born at the same province. These samples are useful for looking for example regional differences in the allelic distributions in Finnish population.

A population sample of Helsinki residents 
Helsinki, being the capital of Finland, has been under heavy immigration from other parts of Finland after Second World War. Thus, it is not an internal isolate but rather a mixture of Finnish population. We have collected 90 individuals (45 males and 45 females), an age-strafied, population-based sample of Helsinki residents for easy determination of estimates of allele frequencies. These samples should give a fairly good estimate of allele frequencies for linkage studies on Finnish population.