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Multinational collaborative studies


MORGAM (MOnica Risk, Genetics, Archiving and Monograph) is a multinational collaborative study based on harmonization of data from population-based cohort studies, with the aim to assess cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. 

Project period: 01.01.2000 - present

MORGAM includes cohorts examined in the World Health Organization MONICA (monitoring trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease) project and other similar cohorts which have been followed up for cardiovascular diseases and death. It was established in the late 1990's to explore the relationships between the development of cardiovascular diseases and their classic and genetic risk factors.

The Tromsø Study is included as one of the participating cohorts with Sameline Grimsgaard as the Principal Investigator. Other key personnel from the Tromsø Study are Inger Njølstad (former Principal Investigator), Tom Wilsgaard, Ellisiv Mathiesen, Ekaterina Sharashova and Maja-Lisa Løchen.

Since the mid 2000s, MORGAM has also measured biomarkers from frozen sera, partly as part of the BiomarCaRE Project. Most of the cohorts participating in MORGAM are from Europe.

After the initial funding from EU's Biomed program, MORGAM subsequently participated in GenomEUtwin (a Network of Excellence for Genomics in Europe, FP5), ENGAGE (European Network in Genetic And Genomic Epidemiology, FP7), CHANCES (Consortium on Health and Ageing: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the United States, FP7), BiomarCaRE (Biomarker for Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Europe, FP7), and currently participates in euCanSHare (An EU-Canada joint infrastructure for next generation multi-Study Heart research, Horizon 2020) and AFFECT-EU (Digital, risk-based Screening for atrial fibrillation in the European Community, Horizon 2020).

The Tromsø Study is participating as a partner through MORGAM in the projects, but is a separate partner in