Framingham: Where the Concept of "Risk Factor" Was Born
The Framingham Heart Study began in 1948 with 5,209 participants. It was here that it was first demonstrated that smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol significantly increased the risk of heart diseases, while physical activity reduced it. Framingham is also the origin of the term “risk factor,” which has forever changed the way we think about prevention. Today, the project spans three generations (nearly 15,000 people) and has expanded to include research on stroke, dementia and atrial fibrillation. In total, more than 3,000 articles have been published in leading medical journals based on data collected through the Framingham Heart Study. These studies form the foundation of modern cardiology and public health.
UK Biobank: Half a Million Volunteers
UK Biobank has collected data from 500,000 British adults, including lifestyle surveys, test results, biological samples and genome-wide sequences of all the participants. Additionally, 100,000 full-body scans (MRI/ultrasound/X-ray) have been completed – the largest project of its kind in the world. This scale gives science the power to see very early changes in disease and link them to genes, lifestyle and environment. To date, several thousand peer-reviewed publications have been published based directly or indirectly on this data.
Twenty-two thousand scientists from 60 countries are working using data from UK Biobank. This is the absolute world leader in biobanking.
Biobanking is "an idea that will change the world"
More than 15 years ago, in 2009, TIME magazine named biobanking one of its "10 Ideas Changing the World." Safely storing samples and health data is crucial for enabling breakthrough research and improved treatment. This vision is now being realised in practice.
Where is Poland in this puzzle?
In Poland, the concept of "biobanking" is just beginning to gain traction. Meanwhile, it is precisely long-term, well-secured collections of samples and data that allow us to answer the most challenging questions in personalised medicine. That is why the Biobank Łódź has been established – to engage Polish scientists in the global circulation of discoveries and build public trust in reliable science.
Watch the series "Biobankowanie: rewolucja zmieniająca świat, o której nie mówi się wystarczająco głośno" [Biobanking: A World-Changing Revolution That Isn't Being Talked About Enough]
In four short episodes, we show what a biobank is, how we protect privacy and why science needs your sample. Take a look behind the scenes at the Centre for Digital Biology and Biomedical Sciences – Biobank Łódź and see what tomorrow's medicine looks like – being created in Poland today.
– encourages Dr Dominik Strapagiel, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz, Head of the Centre for Digital Biology and Biomedical Sciences – Biobank Łódź at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection.
The project is co-financed from the state budget, awarded by the Minister of Science and Higher Education under the „Społeczna Odpowiedzialność Nauki II” [Social Responsibility of Science II programme].
Edit: Małgorzata Jasińska and Michał Gruda (Centre for External Relations and Social Responsibility of the University, University of Lodz)
