Current Studies

Study of Air Pollution in Twins (R33 phase)

This study seeks to understand how the environment influences our health by using a new device (the Portable Particle Monitor, PUWPM) that measures toxins in the environment, which was built and tested during the first phase of this study. These toxins include air pollution, noise, and allergens. Exposure to particle pollution can result in increased hospital […]

Physical Activity in Twins (PAT) follow-up study

This study continues on work conducted from 2012-15 exploring the role of the built environment in supporting healthy lifestyles. The built environment is defined as human-made surroundings, such as buildings, streets, and transportation systems, which support or hinder human activity. Although this topic has gained increasing attention from many researchers over the last several years, […]

Gene Expression and the Microbiome in Twins (GEMsTone)

Cells in the human body contain DNA. Each cell expresses, or turns on, a fraction of its genes in a process known as gene regulation. Genes can be expressed depending on your genetic history, your lifestyle, and your environment. Microbes are very small life forms such as bacteria that exist on or in the human body. […]

Twin Breast Cancer Study

Dr. Thomas Mack of the USC California Twin Program is reaching out to twins diagnosed with breast cancer in order to understand why some women remain free from breast cancer when other women with the same genetics and upbringing are affected. What we know: As a group, twin women of any age, including identical twin […]

New Study Opportunity

A research group at the University of Washington is seeking identical twins ages 9 to 14 for an exciting new brain imaging study! Twins will have their brains scanned while they engage in computer coding tasks. Twin participants will receive a print out of their brain scan, and parents will receive a written assessment report […]

Study of Air Pollution in Twins (R21 phase)

This study seeks to understand how the environment influences our health by testing a new device that will measure toxins in the environment. These toxins include air pollution, noise, and allergens. This study includes 2 waves, with the potential for a third. For the first wave, twins will come to our office in downtown Seattle to […]

Mood and Methylation in Twins

While identical twins are born with the same set of genes, their lifetime experiences (environment) may differ. These environmental differences may cause small changes in how their genes are regulated (turned on or off). Such changes are called epigenetic modifications. One type of epigenetic modification is called DNA methylation. This study is recruiting identical twin […]

Brain Regulation of Appetite in Twins (BRAT)

The goal of this study is to learn more about the regulation of appetite, in order to better understand how the central nervous system regulates appetite and food consumption. This study required both members of the twin pair to come to the University of Washington Medical Center together for one eight-hour visit.  Blood samples were collected […]