The Healthy Nevada Project says it will start notifying consenting study participants of additional genetic disorders, including familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).
FH is an inherited defect in how the body recycles LDL or bad cholesterol.
The Healthy Nevada Project says it is offering free genetic testing to family members who may also be at risk and providing treatment recommendations to help reduce future risk.
In the coming months the Project will also notify study volunteers at risk for other conditions including hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (BRCA 1/2 genes) and Lynch syndrome. The Project says the study is focusing on these conditions because they are most prevalent in the population.
Renown Institute for Health Innovation says it has started advanced calcium score screenings for pilot phase participants at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. It says it will allow researchers to study the link between genetics and calcium buildup in the heart.
“This research allows us to look into cancer, cardiac, respiratory illness and beyond to identify underlying causes, assess real risks and eventually initiate appropriate preventive actions much earlier. Human subject research is often intangible to participants – we are treated as subjects. The Healthy Nevada Project is creating actionable information for our participants while engaging in leading-edge research on health determinants,” said Joseph Grzymski, Ph.D., associate research professor at DRI, principal investigator of the Healthy Nevada Project and chief scientific officer for Renown Health
Healthy Nevada Project also announced that 25,000 phase two participants were tested within the last six months. By the end of this year, the Project plans to complete sequencing of 40,000 people - bringing the project's total enrollment to 50,000 people, or about 10% of northern Nevada's population.
In September 2016, the pilot project enrolled 10,000 participants in just 48 hours. In March 2018, phase two of the project expanded to an additional 40,000 participants with genetic testing partner, Helix.
The project is still seeking participants (over the age of 18). In addition to opting in to receive clinical results, study volunteers receive access to National Geographic's Geno 2.20 ancestry app.
(Healthy Nevada Project, Renown Health, DRI contributed to this report.)
