The SWAN Repository is the portal to a singularly-unique body of specimens that are available to the scientific community for use in research studies of midlife and aging women. This competing renewal application provides for the continued maintenance of, and activities associated with, this important unique Repository of serum, plasma, urine, DNA and transformed cells as well as associated phenotypic data generated from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). SWAN, recently renewed for its 5th funding cycle, is a cohort study of 3302 midlife women from 5 ethnic groups who have been evaluated prior to, during and following the menopausal transition. Participants have completed a total of 13 follow-up visits since 1996 with a final, late-postmenopausal visit planed for SWAN V. The SWAN Repository, a separately funded arm of SWAN, is designed to support, facilitate and extend the Core SWAN; to provide a mechanism for opening the resources of SWAN to the greater scientific community; and to support inclusion of SWAN in genomic science. This competing renewal provides first for the continued storage and management of the current ~1.7 million Repository specimens as well as for the additional specimens that will accrue as a result of fielding SWAN V in 2015-2016. It enables distribution of the specimens for new approved applications as well as of specimens required to address the aims of SWAN V, which capitalizes on Repository resources by conducting new science in these longitudinally collected specimens. Second, it will promote effective utilization of SWAN Repository specimens by enhancing the SWAN Data Warehouse (http://datawarehouse.swanrepository.com/), providing for administration of the application review process for specimen utilization and administrative management of specimen distribution to the broader scientific community including cost recovery programs and advertising Repository opportunities. Third, it will expand opportunities for incorporation of SWAN in on-going genetic consortia and facilitate genetic studies by performing dense genome-wide genotyping using the Illumina Infinium HumanOmni2.5plusExome BeadChip to measure genetic variants throughout the genome, including exome variants, in all SWAN participants who have provided DNA. Finally, it will implement the legacy SWAN Repository organizational structure to provide for ongoing effective and efficient utilization of SWAN data and specimens after the completion of SWAN V and in collaboration with the NIA. While the initial SWAN study design and questions were carefully deliberated, not all aspects of health and aging could be studied. New concepts and technologies have and will continue to emerge that should be employed to provide contemporary data and enhance knowledge of this critical life stage. The SWAN Repository makes this ongoing contribution to scientific knowledge possible.
The SWAN Repository is the portal to a singularly-unique body of over 1.7 million specimens, including serum, plasma, urine, DNA and transformed cells, with associated questionnaire data generated from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). SWAN is a 20-year, multi-ethnic cohort study of 3302 midlife women from 5 ethnic groups who have been evaluated prior to, during and following the menopausal transition. SWAN has addressed the fundamental question: 'What is menopause and how does it affect women's health during and after the menopausal transition?' The SWAN Repository makes possible the ongoing contribution of SWAN to scientific knowledge by curating this important specimen and data resource.
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