More information about the study

Population studies such as CHRIS focus on the health conditions of the general population to understand what factors influence them. These studies differ from clinical studies that are conducted in a hospital setting on specific groups of people who already have a disease. Population studies help to understand the biological mechanisms that regulate the body, for example by highlighting which genes influence certain blood values. They also help to identify and quantify common diseases in the area and to ascertain which environmental and genetic factors are associated with these diseases. Environmental factors include air pollution and lifestyle habits such as diet, alcohol, smoking and exercise. Genetic factors are the genes that make up our DNA. Both environmental and genetic factors can act as risk factors, increasing the risk of disease, or as protective factors, reducing the risk of disease. People with a certain genetic makeup are also more susceptible than others to certain environmental factors.

From 2011 to 2018 during the first phase of CHRIS (the baseline phase), 13,393 inhabitants of the mid and upper Vinschgau Valley participated in the study and thanks to their participation, the researchers collected data and samples. Like all population studies, CHRIS involves monitoring the health of the participants over time. In 2019, in fact, the second phase (follow-up phase) started: the measurements that will be conducted are similar to those carried out during the first phase, with some variations and further investigations in order to more accurately monitor health in cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological and during aging. In order to better monitor the development of health data over time, CHRIS collaborates with the South Tyrolean Health Authority and the South Tyrolean Health Observatory. This synergy provides access to up-to-date health data in the areas covered by the study.

Biological samples and their derivatives (blood and urine, DNA, cell lines) are stored in the CHRIS biobank and at the hospitals of Merano and Bolzano. The biobanks are automated freezer and computer systems accessible only to authorised personnel and equipped with advanced security systems. The CHRIS study biobank is located at the Institute of Biomedicine in Bolzano. The data and samples generated will be stored for 30 years in an encrypted form, separating master data from clinical and molecular data. The biobank is an important resource for scientific research because it allows data and samples to be analysed even after they have been collected. Preservation also opens up new possibilities for the future: some parameters that are still unknown today, or that cannot be measured with current technology, may be examined in the future. Immortalized cell lines can be derived from biological samples stored in the biobank. These are special cells, also called adult stem cells, which, if reprogrammed, become induced pluripotent cells. This means that they can differentiate into different cell types (such as cardiac cells or neurons) and be used to study in vitro how various tissues behave when subjected to different stimuli.

The CHRIS study is sponsored by Eurac Research and the South Tyrolean Health Authority through the Institute of Biomedicine. The Institute of Biomedicine is an interdisciplinary and international group of researchers. Since 2004 it has been working on population-based genetic research with a focus on cardiovascular and neurological medicine. The South Tyrolean Health Authority is responsible for the health of all South Tyroleans. Its work in information, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases is based on the most innovative research results. Funding: The funds for the CHRIS study are part of the core funding that Eurac Research receives from the Autonomous Province of Bolzano through the Innovation, Research and University division.