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Am J Transl Res 2012;4(4):458-470
Original Article
The Measurement to Understand Reclassification of Disease of
Cabarrus/Kannapolis (MURDOCK) Study Community Registry and
Biorepository
Sayanti Bhattacharya, Ashley A Dunham, Melissa A Cornish, Victoria A Christian, Geoffrey S Ginsburg, Jessica D
Tenenbaum, Meredith L Nahm, Marie Lynn Miranda, Robert M Califf, Rowena J Dolor5*, L Kristin Newby
Duke Translational Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Institute for Genome Science and
Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Translational Medicine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC,
USA; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center,
Durham, NC, USA. *Present affiliation: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Received September 13, 2012; accepted October 5, 2012; Epub October 10, 2012; Published October 30, 2012
Abstract: Current understanding of chronic diseases is based on crude clinical characterization, imaging
studies, and laboratory testing that has evolved over decades. The Measurement to Understand Reclassification
of Disease of Cabarrus/Kannapolis (MURDOCK) Study is a multi-tiered, longitudinal study designed to enable
classification of chronic diseases using clinically annotated biospecimen collections, -omic technologies,
electronic health records, and standard epidemiological methods. We expect that detailed molecular
classification will improve mechanistic understanding of chronic diseases, augmenting discovery and testing of
new treatments, and allowing refined selection of prevention and treatment strategies. The MURDOCK Study
Community Registry and Biorepository will serve as a bridge for validation of initial exploratory studies, a platform
for future prospective studies in targeted populations, and a resource of both data (analytical and clinical) and
samples for cross-registry meta-analyses and comparative population studies. Participation of local health care
providers and the Cabarrus County/Kannapolis, NC, community will facilitate future medical research and provide
the opportunity to educate and inform the public about genomic research, actively engaging them in shaping the
future of medical discovery and treatment of chronic diseases. We present the rationale and study design for the
MURDOCK Community Registry and Biorepository and baseline characteristics of the first 6000 participants.
(AJTR1209002).
Keywords: Disease reclassification, community registry, biorepository
Address all correspondence to:
Dr. L Kristin Newby, Duke Clinical Research Institute, P.O. Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715-7969. Tel:
919-668-8805; Fax: 919-668-7056; E-mail: kristin.newby@duke.edu
Original Article
The Measurement to Understand Reclassification of Disease of
Cabarrus/Kannapolis (MURDOCK) Study Community Registry and
Biorepository
Sayanti Bhattacharya, Ashley A Dunham, Melissa A Cornish, Victoria A Christian, Geoffrey S Ginsburg, Jessica D
Tenenbaum, Meredith L Nahm, Marie Lynn Miranda, Robert M Califf, Rowena J Dolor5*, L Kristin Newby
Duke Translational Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Institute for Genome Science and
Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Translational Medicine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC,
USA; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center,
Durham, NC, USA. *Present affiliation: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Received September 13, 2012; accepted October 5, 2012; Epub October 10, 2012; Published October 30, 2012
Abstract: Current understanding of chronic diseases is based on crude clinical characterization, imaging
studies, and laboratory testing that has evolved over decades. The Measurement to Understand Reclassification
of Disease of Cabarrus/Kannapolis (MURDOCK) Study is a multi-tiered, longitudinal study designed to enable
classification of chronic diseases using clinically annotated biospecimen collections, -omic technologies,
electronic health records, and standard epidemiological methods. We expect that detailed molecular
classification will improve mechanistic understanding of chronic diseases, augmenting discovery and testing of
new treatments, and allowing refined selection of prevention and treatment strategies. The MURDOCK Study
Community Registry and Biorepository will serve as a bridge for validation of initial exploratory studies, a platform
for future prospective studies in targeted populations, and a resource of both data (analytical and clinical) and
samples for cross-registry meta-analyses and comparative population studies. Participation of local health care
providers and the Cabarrus County/Kannapolis, NC, community will facilitate future medical research and provide
the opportunity to educate and inform the public about genomic research, actively engaging them in shaping the
future of medical discovery and treatment of chronic diseases. We present the rationale and study design for the
MURDOCK Community Registry and Biorepository and baseline characteristics of the first 6000 participants.
(AJTR1209002).
Keywords: Disease reclassification, community registry, biorepository
Address all correspondence to:
Dr. L Kristin Newby, Duke Clinical Research Institute, P.O. Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715-7969. Tel:
919-668-8805; Fax: 919-668-7056; E-mail: kristin.newby@duke.edu
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