The Swedish Twin Registry

We apply for a continuation of the support of the Swedish Twin Registry (STR), a research infrastructure for population based, epidemiological and molecular studies of twins.

The purpose of the STR is to enable research about the importance of genetic and environmental factors for health, lifestyle and behavior.The STR facilitates access to data, samples and twin-contacts for de novo data-collection. For more than 60-years, it has been used for research on a large number of diseases, behaviors and health problems.

All living Swedish born twins over the age of 9-years have been contacted by the STR and it is thereby the largest twin registry in the world.Nationwide questionnaires, measurements and telephone interviews have been conducted for different birth cohorts since the 1960s.

Broad consents and a unified system make it possible to combine data and samples over the sub-studies to address new research questions.

Beside self-reported health and exposures, additional critical information is obtained through regular linkages to the national health registers. At present, the STR holds DNA and other biological samples from more than 58 000 twins to be used for new analyses.

Genome-wide genotyping is available for the vast majority.The STR is managed by Karolinska Institutet and led by a Steering Group with mandate for periods of 3-years. There is also an advisory National Council with members from several universities that meets two times per year.

It provides an academic arena for input and communication regarding strategies impacting the research enabled by the STR in the future.

The grant will support the running costs of the new twin contacts, sample and data collections, upholding the secure database and provide access to data for researchers.

The national added value consists in the opportunity to manage and develop an already productive infrastructure in directions that benefits a national range of researchers in a cross disciplinary and transparent manner.