COPDGene Study reached 3,000!
March 20, 2009
Established in April 2007, the COPD Research Registry began its presumably slow journey to recruiting individuals with COPD to support the COPDGene Study—a study that was awarded $37 million by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to conduct a genome-wise association analysis to to identify the primary genes that determine why some individuals are more susceptible to developing COPD than other individuals.
“COPD is clearly a genetically-influenced disease. Only 10-20% of smokers develop severe lung impairment,” said Dr. James D. Crapo, PI at the National Jewish Health Center in Denver, Colorado. Therefore researchers are looking for associations between genes across the entire human genome that affect the development of COPD. The cohort of 10,500 individuals will include both male and female non-Hispanic white and African American individuals with or at risk of developing COPD.
The importance of this study is paramount, and the information that scientists will retrieve from it will eventually affect the treatment of COPD greatly. “This new program on the genetic epidemiology of COPD offers a unique opportunity to find the set of genes that controls susceptibility to COPD,” said Dr. Crapo. “Finding these genes will not only help us understand how and why this disease occurs. We expect it to point to new therapies that can change the outcome and improve the quality of life for everyone with this disease.”
The Registry’s fast recruitment for the COPDGene Study has exceeded all standards and expectations. The 3,000 COPDGene Study enrollees are individuals who feel the desire and responsibility of participating in the study to promote research. And with their support, the COPDGene Study is well-paced toward finding an answer to several questions that will help improve the quality of care received as well as find improved therapies for those living with COPD.
To download the official COPDGene press release: COPDGene Press Release
For more information: COPD Research Registry, COPDGene Study