Mission: To provide a mechanism for sharing data and biospecimen from a large longitudinal cohort as a resource to researchers for approved studies.
 
Description:  The Fernald Community Cohort consists of the 9782 persons who were enrolled in the Fernald Medical Monitoring Program (FMMP)(1990-2008). The comprehensive examinations conducted as part of the Fernald Medical Monitoring Program (FMMP) began in the autumn of 1990. The FMMP provided 9,782 initial examinations and 42,775 re-examinations over 18 years. An extensive computerized database and biospecimen repository was created to provide research resources for future studies. All questionnaire, examination and diagnostic procedure data collected from the FMMP were coded by certified medical record coders, double entered with verification into a SAS database on site of the examinations. Cryo-preserved blood and urine samples were collected at enrollment and at various intervals throughout follow-up.  At the first examination three 1-ml aliquots of whole blood, plasma, serum, urine and urine with buffer were obtained from each participant (15 aliquots per person) for future analyses.  Additional whole blood and serum was obtained in 1996-1997 and 2006-2008. Specimens have been stored in minus 80 degree freezers; over 160,000 biospecimens are in the archive. More information about the cohort and the “Access to Data and Biospecimen Policy” and application form can be found at www.eh.uc.edu/fmmp/research.