Heart disease kills more Americans annually that any other condition. Countless more Americans suffer from hypertension and high cholesterol. It has been shown that some individuals who know their genetic risk for diseases like heart disease put more effort into living a healthy lifestyle.

Coriell scientists are engaged in a research project designed to determine if genetic testing can accurately predict an individual's risk for coronary heart disease and high cholesterol. If proven, genetic testing could determine a person's risk for disease long before the disease would manifest. Furthermore, if this model can be successfully validated, the approach can be used as a model for other diseases.

Funding for this fundamental research question has been awarded to Coriell by the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust. The philosophy of this private foundation has been not to replicate governmental funding organizations, but instead identify and fund projects that are unique and meritorious.

Joseph L. Minzter, Coriell's Executive Vice President and COO, said of the award, "W.W. Smith Charitable Trust has become a valuable partner to Coriell in advancing key research questions. By combining the Trust's commitment to research with Coriell's expertise and state-of-the-art laboratories, we are confident that we can validate a multigenic model in the prediction of heart disease."

Louise Havens, administrator for W.W. Smith, added, "The Trust regards Coriell as a forward-thinking leader in the field of genetics. It is with great pride that we afford their scientific team the opportunity to alleviate the impact of heart disease in America. This is the very kind of goal the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust seeks to accomplish."