Geri Mineau, Ph.D. - Shared Resource Director

HCI, Room 4167 (801) 581-4567 geri.mineau@hci.utah.edu

Description

The Utah Population Database (UPDB) is a University of Utah resource that makes available large datasets and multi-generation pedigrees (over 8 million records) to support research projects, while protecting the privacy of individual-level data. It is a rich source of information for genetic, epidemiological, demographic and public health studies; UPDB currently supports about 55 research projects. The UPDB is composed of an extensive set of family histories, in which family members are linked to their medical information. In addition to genealogy and family history data, UPDB maintains information on all cancers diagnosed in Utah and Idaho, all Utah death certificates, the majority of Utah birth certificates, all Utah driver license records, and medical records from the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. Research studies that incorporate pedigree structure as part of the research design can utilize UPDB to reveal familial clustering of disease. The Utah Resource for Genetic and Epidemiologic Research was created to administer access to the UPDB files through a careful review process. All projects require additional IRB approval. The aim of the UPDB Resource is to support biomedical and health-related research with an emphasis on cancer genetics and survival. UPDB will:

1. Maintain an infrastructure for research by linking cancer information, vital records (birth, death, marriage and divorce) and driver license data to UPDB,
2. Maintain pedigree infrastructure and analysis tools (e.g. pedigree drawing tools),
3. Provide access to UPDB to support cancer research projects,
4. Update UPDB information annually, thus providing follow-up information to research projects (e.g., deaths, cancer recurrence).

These activities require up-to-date resources that are beyond the scope of any single research project. The UPDB is the only such database in the USA and one of few such resources in the world. Several projects are working to expand the scope of medical records available to users of UPDB.

Any publication resulting from the use of this shared resource should appropriately acknowledge the Utah Population Data Base, the NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA042014, and Huntsman Cancer Institute/Huntsman Cancer Foundation.

In addition, for purposes of the NCI review and fulfilling the mission of the Cancer Center, please use peer-reviewed cancer related grants to pay for the services of this core facility. Contact Kris Larrabee to determine which of your grants would be appropriate to use.

Faculty Advisory Board

Randy Burt, MD, HCI Senior Leader

Ken Smith, PhD, Committee Chair

Jennifer Barlow, PharmD

Julio C. Facelli, PhD

Steve Guthrey

Richard A. Kerber, PhD

Sancy Leachman, MD, PhD