The DodoNA Project
Aims: “DodoNA” is a metaphor. Dodona was an oracle of ancient Greece, where priestesses interpreted the rustling leaves of a sacred oak tree to predict the future and to guide actions to improve fate. Just as at Dodona, we can interpret subtle variations in DNA, the “tree of life,” to improve neurological health. Specifically, we are developing medical informatics tools to capture standardized data via routine office visits that measure the progression and outcomes of patients with the following neurological disorders: brain tumors, epilepsy, memory disorders, migraine, mild traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, Parkinson’s disease, restless legs syndrome and stroke. We are also studying persons who are neurologically healthy but at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related brain disorders. DodoNA is a clinical practice initiative (note-writing and workflow efficiencies) and a quality initiative (best practices). It is also a research initiative. To obtain data, we will invite up to 1,000 subjects for each of the 11 projects (11,000 subjects in total) to provide, via informed consent, a blood sample for DNA extraction and storage. We then will ask permission to associate information in their blood with information in their medical record (for the purposes of developing molecular prognostics and therapeutics).
Principal Investigator: Aikaterini Markopoulou, MD, PhD
NorthShore Project Number: EH10-139
Funding Source: NorthShore Auxilliary
Contact: Please call 847.503.4344 with questions regarding this study
Open to Enrollment: Yes