Current Projects

Development of a Current-Era Twin Registry

The NAS-NRC Twin Registry has provided an important basis for epidemiologic and heritability studies since the late 1950's. The usefulness of the registry is now maximal because of the rapid accumulation of morbidity and mortality endpoints in this population of men aged 69 to 79. However, an estimated 500 men die annually. Half of the pairs are no longer intact due to deaths.

MFUA is now beginning an effort that will, if successful, lead to the development of a Department of Defense-wide registry that will continue to enroll military twins indefinitely into the future. This new Current Era Twin Registry is intended to provide for the continuation of twin research even as the registry of World War II-era twins dwindles in size. This new registry is also designed to be demographically more diverse than its predecessor. The research opportunities that such a registry would afford are of remarkable and unique scientific value.