Welcome to the SWAN Repository
The SWAN Study
The Study of Womens Health Across the Nation (SWAN) is an active multi-site, multi-disciplinary, longitudinal study of women’s health. Initially funded in 1994 by the NIA, NINR, and ORWH, the overall goal of SWAN is to describe the biological, behavioral, and psychosocial characteristics that of women during midlife and the menopausal transition. SWAN focuses on the impact of menopause on age-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, bone loss and osteoporosis, as well as physical and cognitive functioning.
For more information, visit the SWAN Study website.
The SWAN Population
SWAN has seven clinical study sites located in six states, two in California, and one each in Chicago, Boston, Detroit area, northern New Jersey and Pittsburgh. The SWAN cohort was recruited from these areas and enrolled in 1996-97 and consists of 3,302 African American, Caucasian, Chinese American, Hispanic and Japanese American women. Cohort members were pre-menopausal, not taking hormones and between 42–52 years of age at the time of enrollment. SWAN participants are seen annually or bi-annually for clinic visits, which include interviews, measurements, and the collection of blood and urine samples. SWAN participants have now been seen for the baseline and 13 follow-up visits.
Read more about the SWAN study designs and measures (PDF).
The SWAN Repository — Resources available to you
The SWAN Repository is the biospecimen bank of the SWAN study. All stored specimens are from the 3,302 SWAN participants. There are currently nearly 1.8 million samples, collected across the 14 annual follow-up visits. Both SWAN Specimens and Data are available to the scientific community.
- Available Biospecimens include Serum, Plasma, and Urine from annual follow-up visits, as well as DNA and Immortilized Cell Lines on approximately 1500 SWAN participants. Also, a subset of 800 women have provided daily urine samples during one menstrual cycle each year until reaching menopause. This collection is known as the Daily Hormone Study (DHS).
- SWAN Repository specimens have been collected with a high degree of consideration - every step of collection, processing, and storage have been recorded.
- Some samples, due to scarcity, are held as “reserved” and require a more rigorous review to gain access to. Click here to see the criteria for Reserved Samples.
- See fees associated with obtaining biospecimens.
- SWAN Data *: Nearly 20,000 variables have been collected over the life of the SWAN study, and have been organized in a searchable directory in our Data Warehouse *. Registered users are able to search variables, assemble lists, and save personal libraries. Once a data request is approved, the saved variable libraries can be constructed into datasets and sent to you.
Requesting Data & Specimens
Applying for SWAN Repository resources can now be done online, following these 3 steps:
- STEP 1: Complete the Initial Inquiry/Checklist *.
- This brief initial assessment allows Repository staff to confirm availability of requested materials and provide a sample size estimate to applicants.
- PREVIEW the Inquiry Checklist form.
- STEP 2: Complete the Application.
- Similar to NIH applications, this form includes the major sections: Introduction, Specific Aims and Hypotheses; Background & Significance; Preliminary Studies; and Methods & Materials.
- The submitted Application will be reviewed by:
- SWAN Repository Organization (SRO)
- SWAN Repository Advisory Group (SRAG), if the Application includes requests for DNA samples, genetic data, or Reserved samples
- PREVIEW the Application form.
- STEP 3: Submit the Supplemental Forms.
- This form includes an Abstract submission and several IRB and Repository arrangements and agreements.
- Review: The completed Application plus signed Supplemental Forms and will go to the SWAN Steering Committee (SC) for final approval.
- PREVIEW the Supplemental Forms.
* Registration required. Click here to register with your name, email and a password.