Why Finland?
The unique population history of Finns offers opportunities for genetic discoveries
Finland is a well-known example of an isolated population where multiple historical events have shaped the gene pool of present-day Finns. This provides an excellent opportunity to discover disease-associated genes, as some of the underlying (and initially rare) causal variants have reached a much higher frequency than anywhere else in the world.
Finland sets the stage for biomedical research
The conditions for genetic research in Finland are exceptional. The internationally unique Biobank Act means that samples collected from consented individuals by hospitals and research institutes are available for all researchers. Finland has also kept comprehensive health registers for decades, and this allows capturing the usage of health care services for all residents over their entire lifetime.