The NUgene Project is a biorepository with longitudinal medical information from participating patients at Northwestern Medicine affiliated hospitals and outpatient clinics. Participants' DNA samples are coupled with data from a self-reported questionnaire (2 versions were used, 1 before and 1 after February 2006, both are included) and continuously updated data from our Electronic Medical Record (EMR) representing actual clinical care events. Northwestern has a state-of-the art, comprehensive inpatient and outpatient EMR system of over 3 million patients. NUgene has broad access to participant data for all outpatient visits as well as inpatient data via a consolidated enterprise data warehouse. NUgene participants consent to distribution and use of their coded DNA samples and data for a broad range of genetic research by third-party investigators. The electronic MedicalRecords and Genomics (eMERGE) Network is a consortium of 9 clinical sites with EMR linked DNA biobanks, including Northwestern University and its NUgene biobank, funded by the NHGRI (National Human Genome Research Institute) to investigate the use of electronic medical record systems for genomic research. The goal of eMERGE is to conduct genome-wide association studies in approximately 100,000 individuals using EMR-derived phenotypes and DNA from linked biorepositories. Using electronic phenotyping methods, the consortium has been and is using DNA samples from all participating sites to explore the genetic determinants of approximately 80 phenotypes, including both diseases and traits, for which the electronic phenotyping algorithms have or are being published on <a href="https://phekb.org/">PheKB.org</a>. Thus, for the eMERGE network, ~900 NUgene subjects were selected, as described in the study inclusion/exclusion criteria section below, to be genotyped using whole genome sequencing (WGS), for use in the eMERGE network as eMERGE subjects. The criteria used below were selected so that these subjects will likely meet the criteria to be cases and/or controls, of diverse races and/or ethnicities, for at least 1 of the ~80 phenotypes being studied within eMERGE, and could be recontacted for future research if needed.

NUgene WGS

The Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Network: past, present, and future