The study was a collaborative one involving Dr. Deborah Nickerson at the University of Washington, Dr. Kenneth Weiss at Pennsylvania State University, and Dr. Charles Sing of the University of Michigan. Dr. Nickerson identified and measured DNA sequence variation in 13 genes that play a central role in key physiological functions involved in the development of cardiovascular disease. She applied state-of-the-art automated fluorescence-based sequencing and high-throughput DNA genotyping methods to uncover and assess DNA sequence variation in three human populations: non-Hispanic Whites from Rochester, MN (lowCVD risk), African-Americans from Jackson, MS (intermediate CVD risk) and non-Hispanic Whites from North Karelia,Finland (high CVD risk).