The CDRF has funded a number of successful projects at the Department of Twin Research, a major Department within King’s College, based at St Thomas’ Hospital. Through the use of clinical, questionnaire and genetic data gathered from over 12,000 ‘TwinsUK’ volunteers over 20 years, scientists have identified the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to many chronic diseases.

 

Genes associated with diseases such as arthritis, migraine and heart disease have also been discovered. The success of these projects proves that the use of identical and non-identical twins is one of the most effective techniques used to understand the causes of diseases associated with the ageing process.