The goal has been to identify novel causal risk factors for CVD and related traits to advance understanding of disease aetiology. A key approach has been the use of assumption-free genomic studies.

A secondary aim has been to help advance basic research, such as through establishment of important reference databases (exemplified by the CEU’s contribution to the Exome Aggregation Consortium, an analysis of protein-coding genetic variation in ~60,000 people: Lek, Nature 2016;536:285-91).