Studies Using the Biobank

The Mayo Clinic Biobank began recruitment on April 1, 2009, and had an initial goal of recruiting 20,000 participants. This goal was reached in June 2011.

These participants' samples and health information are available to researchers for many types of studies. Listed below are studies that are currently using samples from the Biobank. This information will be updated periodically so that participants can learn more about how the Biobank is helping to advance clinical research at Mayo Clinic.

Hypothyroidism and cholangiocarcinoma study

Lewis R. Roberts, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D., is researching whether hypothyroidism — low levels of thyroid hormones — is linked to a person's risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma, a specific type of liver cancer. He has asked to review medical information on 600 Biobank participants without a history of any cancer to compare with patients — recruited through a separate study — with cholangiocarcinoma. Dr. Roberts will review lab results and imaging studies that may help to determine how common hypothyroidism and liver disease may be in individuals without liver cancer. Through this study, Dr. Roberts hopes to determine whether hypothyroidism may be a risk factor for the development of cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma study

Dr. Roberts has submitted a second request to the Biobank about cholangiocarcinoma. In this second project, he's requested samples from 400 Biobank participants without a history of any type of cancer to compare with patients — recruited through another study — who have cholangiocarcinoma. Dr. Roberts is researching whether there are genetic variants that might predict which individuals are at risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma.

Kidney cancer study

Eugene D. Kwon, M.D., is researching immune responses to kidney (renal) cancer. He has requested samples from 172 Biobank participants without a history of any type of cancer or known immune disorder. He will compare this group with patients — recruited through a separate study — who have kidney cancer. Dr. Kwon is studying a particular immune marker to determine whether this marker can be detected in the blood of patients with and without kidney cancer. His goal is to better understand if this specific marker is detectable in both populations and whether it might be used in the future to help determine the prognosis of kidney cancer in affected individuals.

Polycystic kidney disease study

Peter C. Harris, Ph.D., is studying polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a group of inherited disorders that cause cyst development in the kidney and can result in kidney failure. He has requested samples from 250 Biobank participants without a history of kidney disease to compare with patients — recruited through another study — who have PKD. Dr. Harris' goal is to better describe genetic changes found in the PKD genes, which may help predict the disease's course and progression in people with it.

Blood clot study

John A. Heit, M.D., is researching genetic factors that are associated with and may increase a person's risk of blood clot formation (venous thromboembolism). He has requested samples from about 50 Biobank participants with a history of a blood clot, which he'll use to augment the many additional patients with blood clots that he's recruited through another study. Dr. Heit has also asked for approximately 325 Biobank participants without a history of a blood clot to compare with his patients who've had a clot. Dr. Heit's goal is to identify the genetic factors associated with blood clots, as well as people who are at high risk of them, so that health care professionals can take better preventive and treatment measures in the future.

Peripheral artery disease study

Iftikhar J. Kullo, M.D., is researching genetic variants that may increase an individual's risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD), a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the arms and legs. He has requested samples from 1,000 Biobank participants without a history of PAD to compare with patients — recruited through a separate study — who have the disease. He's specifically studying genetic variations that he's identified through another study. Dr. Kullo's goal is to see which of these genetic factors may increase a person's risk of developing PAD so that it may be used to help predict or manage those at high risk.

Cardiorespiratory fitness study

Dr. Kullo is also researching genetic risk factors involved with cardiorespiratory fitness, a measure of the ability to perform aerobic exercise. Impairment of cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. He has requested samples from 2,000 Biobank participants who have undergone a special type of exercise testing and is attempting to identify specific genes or DNA sequences that influence cardiorespiratory fitness. His goal is to improve the design of new drugs and develop new treatment strategies relevant to aging, insulin resistance and cardiovascular outcomes.

Multiple myeloma study

Celine M. Vachon, Ph.D., is studying the genetics of multiple myeloma. She has requested samples from 1,000 Biobank participants without a history of multiple myeloma. Dr. Vachon will genotype these samples for a certain genetic variation, then compare the results with those from patients from a separate study that have this disease. She is attempting to identify specific DNA sequences and genes that increase a person's risk of the development of multiple myeloma. Her goal is to better understand the origin of this cancer.

Glioma study

Daniel Honore Lachance, M.D., Robert B. Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues are studying the genetics of glioma, one type of brain cancer. They have requested samples from 500 Biobank participants without a history of glioma and will compare test results from these samples with those from patients newly diagnosed with glioma. They are attempting to identify specific genes or DNA sequences that predispose individuals to the development of this particular form of brain cancer. Their goal is to understand the role of genetic susceptibility among glioma patients who do not have a family history of this disease.

Preeclampsia study

Vesna D. Garovic, M.D., is testing for the presence of genetic risk factors for preeclampsia, a major source of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. She has requested samples from 14 Biobank participants who have never been pregnant and have no history of hypertension. She is researching whether a specific type of DNA modification (methylation) is present and changes over the course of pregnancy and whether these modifications correlate with the development of preeclampsia. Her goal is to better understand the cause of preeclampsia and ultimately improve treatment for these women.

Breast cancer study

Fergus J. Couch, Ph.D., is researching genetic risk factors for breast cancer. He has requested samples from 1,000 Biobank participants without a history of breast cancer to compare with patients — recruited through a separate study — who have had breast cancer. He is looking for subtle changes in the DNA sequence that might prove to increase breast cancer risk. He is also working to identify genes other than those currently known (BRCA1 and BRCA2) that may increase a person's risk of developing breast cancer.

Cardiovascular study

Suzette J. Bielinski, Ph.D., is researching causes of sudden cardiac death in patients who survive a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Following a heart attack, nerves within the heart rewire as part of the healing process, and this may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in some patients. Proteins found in the blood may provide clues as to the extent of nerve healing and therefore may be useful in predicting which heart attack patients may be at increased risk. To investigate these proteins, Dr. Bielinski has requested samples from 200 Biobank participants without a history of a heart attack to compare with patients — recruited through a separate study — who have had a heart attack.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) study

Susan L. Slager, Ph.D., is researching genetic risk factors for CLL. She has requested samples from 500 Biobank participants without a history of CLL to compare with patients — recruited through a separate study — who have had CLL. She is looking to confirm subtle changes in the DNA sequence, which she has identified in previous studies, that may prove to be risk factors for developing CLL.

Colon cancer study

Lisa A. Boardman, M.D., is studying a possible risk factor for colon cancer. She has requested samples from 500 Biobank participants without a history of colon cancer to compare with patients — recruited through a separate study — who have had colon cancer. She is studying whether telomere length is correlated to colon cancer risk. Telomeres are located at the end of chromosomes and are known to shorten with age. Chromosomes are the structures in which DNA (genes) is packaged; humans have 46 total chromosomes and inherit half from each parent. Dr. Boardman is also trying to determine if the genes that are involved in telomere shortening over one's lifetime might also play a role in a person's risk of colon cancer.

Lung cancer study

Mariza de Andrade, Ph.D., is researching genetic causes for familial lung cancer. She has requested samples from 150 Biobank participants without a personal or family history of lung cancer. She'll compare these samples with those from patients — recruited through another study — who have lung cancer. She hopes to identify specific genes that might increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer.

Hypertension study

Lilach O. Lerman, M.D., Ph.D., is researching kidney disease in people with high blood pressure (hypertension). She has requested samples from 50 Biobank participants without a history of hypertension to compare with those from patients — recruited through a separate study — with hypertension. For a given patient, she would like to know how kidney disease is affected by the presence of hypertension.

Microvesicles study

Muthuvel Jayachandran, Ph.D., is researching the presence of microvesicles in blood and how they relate to disease. Microvesicles come from parts of the cell that make up different tissues in the body. Once formed, these vesicles can be shed into the bloodstream. However, not much is known about what these vesicles are made of or how many of them are in a healthy individual. Once this is known, it will be possible to look at patients with disease to see if the number and makeup of these microvesicles are different. The goal is to see if these blood particles can be used to detect the presence of disease very early — for example, before symptoms develop — or if they can be used to predict whether a patient will develop disease later in life. To study microvesicles, Dr. Jayachandran is requesting samples from 50 to 100 healthy Biobank participants who have no known history of chronic disease.

Access Committee

Read about the Mayo Clinic Biobank Access Committee.