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The Australian Twin Registry.
1Centre for Genetic Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia. j.hopper@unimelb.edu.au
Summary
The Australian Twin Registry (ATR) supports over 30,000 twin pairs, facilitating over 200 studies and 300 publications. It serves as a vital resource for genetic and health research, aiming to expand its data collection.
Area of Science:
- Human genetics
- Epidemiology
- Biomedical research
Background:
- Established in the late 1970s, the Australian Twin Registry (ATR) is a comprehensive volunteer registry.
- It comprises over 30,000 pairs of Australian twins across all zygosity types and ages.
- The ATR functions as a facilitator, not a direct research entity, providing a crucial resource for diverse scientific disciplines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To maintain an up-to-date database of twin participants.
- To manage access to twin data, enhancing Australian research capacity.
- To safeguard the rights and privacy of registry members.
Main Methods:
- Facilitating over 200 studies utilizing various research designs (e.g., biometrical twin studies, co-twin control, longitudinal studies).
- Collecting baseline contact details and health information from registry members.
- Obtaining DNA samples from over 6,000 twins.
Main Results:
- Facilitated more than 200 studies, resulting in over 300 peer-reviewed publications.
- Enabled research in areas including behavior, musculoskeletal conditions, cardiovascular risk, substance abuse, and cancer risk factors.
- Accumulated extensive longitudinal data from approximately 10,000 twin pairs.
Conclusions:
- The ATR is a significant national and international resource for twin research.
- Continued efforts in recruitment and data collection are essential for future research endeavors.
- Securing funding will enable expansion, including systematic DNA collection, to further contribute to human genome annotation and twin research development.