Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Observational Studies

Large population-based observational studies are a valuable way of investigating potential causes of common chronic diseases. We have pioneered innovative methods to recruit and follow-up very large numbers of people, and several of our studies are exploring the use of novel genetic and metabolomic approaches to establishing disease aetiology. We are currently coordinating two programmes of research using large blood-based cohorts to study disease in China and Mexico.

The China Kadoorie Biobank is an observational study of 0.5 million people led by Professor Zhengming Chen,  whilst the Mexico City Prospective Study is an observational  study of 150,000 participants  led by Associate Professor Jonathan Emberson

Programme Leaders

Large-scale observational studies

China Kadoorie Biobank

The China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) was set up to investigate the main genetic and environmental causes of common chronic diseases in the Chinese population. Between 2004 and 2008 over 510,000 adults were recruited from ten regions of China. Extensive data was collected by questionnaire, physical measurements were taken, and blood samples stored for future study. All the participants are now being closely monitored for health-related outcomes including death, through links with established registries and health insurance databases in the regions. This will be a powerful resource for investigating the main causes of many common chronic diseases over the next few decades.

Mexico City Prospective Study

Between 1998 and 2004, in collaboration with the Mexican Ministry of Health, we established a study in Mexico City, in which over 150,000 middle-aged adults (including 100,000 women and 50,000 men) provided information about their lifestyle and disease history, had physical measurements recorded (including weight, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure) and had a blood sample taken. All participants are now being tracked for mortality through linkage to Mexican national mortality databases; by January 2016, about 20,000 were confirmed to have died. By relating participants' characteristics at recruitment to death over the following decades, this study is now investigating the main environmental and biological causes of premature death in Mexico. 

Other work on observational studies

Led by Professor Sarah Lewington, PHRU researchers are also coordinating the Richard Doll Consortium, which is the world's largest group of principal investigators of prospective studies. Established in 2012, the centenary of Richard Doll’s birth, it comprises over 100 internationally renowned epidemiologists working on population-based studies of more than 100,000 participants. In total, these studies have recruited more than 10 million participants, of which half are from low- and middle-income countries. The consortium promotes collaboration and the sharing of best practice; produces valid, reliable, and publicly available evidence; and provides the scientific foundation for data-driven public health strategies.