Professor Bharat Thyagarajan

These researchers are using MSI for two projects:

• Aging Biomarkers: The Health and Retirement Study and Long Life Family Study: This group has been working on a large aging study to measure a wide range of aging biomarkers in 10,500 participants from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). As a part of this study, the researchers have performed 14 color flow cytometry to estimate immunological parameters associated with aging. In addition, they have performed DNA methylation and RNA-Seq assays on 4,000 participants. The group is also generating multi-parameter flow cytometry data similar to that of HRS on 4,500 people for the Long Life Family Study.
• Creation of a Research Database From Routine Clinical Genomics Data: As of November 2015, this group has modified consent forms to enable them to collect all genomics data generated as a part of routine clinical work for future research projects even if some of the genomic information was not ordered clinically. The Molecular Diagnostics laboratory will be responsible for implementing this consent form in the various clinics that utilize genetic testing. Though all the clinical data that is generated for clinical purposes will be stored at Fairview, the group is using MSI resources to create and store de-identified data for research purposes.