TY - JOUR T1 - An introduction to LifeLines DEEP: study design and baseline characteristics JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/009217 SP - 009217 AU - Ettje F. Tigchelaar AU - Alexandra Zhernakova AU - Jackie A.M. Dekens AU - Gerben Hermes AU - Agnieszka Baranska AU - Zlatan Mujagic AU - Morris A. Swertz AU - Angélica M. Muñoz AU - Patrick Deelen AU - Maria C. Cénit AU - Lude Franke AU - Salome Scholtens AU - Ronald P. Stolk AU - Cisca Wijmenga AU - Edith J.M. Feskens Y1 - 2014/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2014/09/16/009217.abstract N2 - There is a critical need for population-based prospective cohort studies because they follow individuals before the onset of disease, allowing for studies that can identify biomarkers and disease-modifying effects and thereby contributing to systems epidemiology. This paper describes the design and baseline characteristics of an intensively examined subpopulation of the LifeLines cohort in the Netherlands. For this unique sub-cohort, LifeLines DEEP, additional blood (n=1387), exhaled air (n=1425), fecal samples (n=1248) and gastrointestinal health questionnaires (n=1176) were collected for analysis of the genome, epigenome, transcriptome, microbiome, metabolome and other biological levels. Here, we provide an overview of the different data layers in LifeLines DEEP and present baseline characteristics of the study population including food intake and quality of life. We also describe how the LifeLines DEEP cohort allows for the detailed investigation of genetic, genomic and metabolic variation on a wealth of phenotypic outcomes. Finally, we examine the determinants of gastrointestinal health, an area of particular interest to us that can be addressed by LifeLines DEEP. ER -