GENETIC RESEARCH (also See Cancer and Neurology)

Division of Research Principal Investigator: Cathy Schaefer, PhD
Primary Source of Funding: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Description: This study will examine the occurrence and progression of multiple sclerosis in relation to genetic and nongenetic factors in 1500 cases and matched controls in Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Division of Research Principal Investigator: Cathy Schaefer, PhD
Primary Source of Funding: New York State Psychiatric Institute
Description: This study examines potential associations between prenatal exposures, sequence variants in candidate genes, and risk of schizophrenia in a nested case-control study based on follow-up of a birth cohort.

Division of Research Principal Investigator: Gerald DeLorenze, PhD
Primary Source of Funding:National Cancer Institute
Description: This study will identify relatively homogeneous, genetically defined subgroups of glioma and to identify important risk factors for these subgroups.

Division of Research Principal Investigator: Cathy Schaefer, PhD
Primary Source of Funding: Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit Program
Description: This project will analyze the results of a telephone interview with a random sample of 2,000 Kaiser Permanente members that was conducted to learn about the levels of knowledge, potential concerns, and attitudes of members toward genetic research.

Division of Research Principal Investigator: Cathy Schaefer, PhD
Primary Source of Funding: National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Description: This is a multidisciplinary, collaborative study aims to identify genetic variants, characterize selected genes, and examine relationships between genetic variants and clinical phenotypes of genes in the membrane transporter class, which are the targets for common pharmacologic agents such as antidepressants and digoxin.

Division of Research Principal Investigator: Catherine Schaefer, PhD
Primary Source of Funding: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Description: The goal of this study is to examine the associations between prenatal exposure to organochlorines, specifically to DDT and its metabolites, chlordane and its metabolites, and PCBs, and measures of male reproductive function.

Division of Research Principal Investigator: Barbara Sternfeld, PhD
Primary Source of Funding: National Institute on Child Health and Human Development
Description: The goal of this study is to examine the relationships between ovarian age and specific genetic polymorphism that influence both initial oocyte pool and rate of oocyte depletion; environmental factors implicated in fertility and fertility decline will also be considered.