A few weeks ago, we wrote an article for The Genetic Link about a research team at the University of Minnesota. This research team collected DNA samples with Oragene at the Minnesota State Fair from August 26 – September 1 in St. Paul, MN. The researchers were collecting samples for the Gopher Kids study which aims to learn more about what genes are involved in making a child grow and develop normally. As promised, the following article provides an update on the outcome of this event-based collection. 

I recently spoke with Dr. Logan G. Spector, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota about his experience collecting DNA with Oragene at the State Fair. In his own words, the collection went ‘exceedingly well’. The research team was hoping to collect 500 samples at this event but they were unsure how long it might take to attract that many participants. They worked 6 hour shifts each day and planned to be at the fair for a total of 6 days. At the close of the third day, they had already collected their 500 samples!

At the end of their 6 day collection at the State Fair, Dr. Spector and his team had consented 550 families to participate in the study and they collected 900 samples. They had almost doubled their collection goal. Congratulations to Dr. Spector and his team for a great event-based DNA collection with Oragene.

So what’s next? Dr. Spector and his team are hoping to get funding from the NIH to increase the cohort for the Gopher Kids study to 10,000 participants.