Next month, the largest biomedical research project in Cantabria, a pioneering initiative in Spain, will mark four years of progress and is now on the verge of reaching its initial goal of 50,000 participants.
Cantabria Cohort has already surpassed 45,000 volunteers, entering the final stage of its recruitment phase. This major biomedical research project, a first-of-its-kind in Spain, will celebrate its fourth anniversary in April, bringing it closer to its initial goal of enrolling 50,000 participants.
Over the years, the project has made significant advances and incorporated new initiatives. Cantabria Cohort collaborates with multiple scientific teams using participant data and samples to conduct research in diverse areas such as diabetes, cancer, and digestive diseases.
Thanks to its successful reception, Cantabria Cohort will have its own governance starting in 2025 and is receiving full financial support from the Regional Health Department. In this regard, the project’s research team is actively involved in a new initiative led by the General Directorate of Public Health, aimed at developing a strategy to combat childhood obesity in the region.
Other recent additions to Cantabria Cohort include cognitive tests through the online platform CogniFit, a new questionnaire on diseases, feedback surveys to enhance study quality, and global statistics on some of the data collected so far, available on the project’s website.
Additionally, the project coordinators have launched live broadcasts on YouTube, an innovative way to engage with participants, who can ask questions in real time via chat. The coordinators address common inquiries such as “When will follow-ups begin?”, “Why aren’t tests conducted at my health center?”, and “Why haven’t I received my results?” in the latest broadcast, available at the following link: YouTube Live Session.
Cantabria Cohort is open to residents of Cantabria aged 40 to 70. The study team contacts eligible individuals daily, but anyone interested can learn more and participate through the project’s website: Cohorte Cantabria.
Although more than 45,000 Cantabrians have already joined the study, Cantabria Cohort is calling for 5,000 additional volunteers, particularly from rural areas far from Santander (Liébana, Campoo-Los Valles, Valles Pasiegos, Asón-Agüera, and the Eastern Coast) and within the 40 to 44 age group.
Currently, women make up 58% of participants, so men are also encouraged to join the study. Preparations are already underway for the follow-up phase, set to begin this year, which may include new tests and questionnaires to collect additional relevant data.
Cantabria Cohort is a research project led by the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), with support from Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital and the Government of Cantabria. This initiative is building a large biomedical data and sample platform from the Cantabrian population, accessible to researchers across various fields. The studies derived from Cantabria Cohort aim to advance Personalized Medicine, enabling more effective approaches for each patient.
