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The Generation R Study is a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal life until adulthood. The study is designed to identify early environmental and genetic causes and causal pathways leading to normal and abnormal growth, development and health from fetal life, childhood and young adulthood. In total, 9,778 mothers were enrolled in the study. Data collection in children and their parents include questionnaires, interviews, detailed physical and ultrasound examinations, behavioural observations, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and biological samples. Efforts have been conducted for collecting biological samples including blood, hair, faeces, nasal swabs, saliva and urine samples and generating genomics data on DNA, RNA and microbiome. In this paper, we give an update of the collection, processing and storage of these biological samples and available measures. Together with detailed phenotype measurements, these biological samples provide a unique resource for epidemiological studies focused on environmental exposures, genetic and genomic determinants and their interactions in relation to growth, health and development from fetal life onwards.

Original publication

DOI

10.1007/s10654-014-9980-6

Type

Journal article

Journal

European journal of epidemiology

Publication Date

21/12/2014

Volume

29

Pages

911 - 927

Addresses

The Generation R Study Group (NA-2915), Erasmus University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Keywords

Fetus, Humans, Physical Examination, Specimen Handling, Data Collection, Population Surveillance, Questionnaires, Prospective Studies, Genomics, Environment, Environmental Exposure, Fetal Development, Pregnancy, Research Design, Socioeconomic Factors, Child, Child, Preschool, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Biological Specimen Banks, Female, Male