Undiagnosed DiseaseNCT02927158
Exome and Genome Analysis to Elucidate Genetic Etiologies and Population Characteristics in the Plain Community
An observational study of Undiagnosed Disease, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study is designed to utilize whole exome and whole genome sequencing techniques to identify underlying genetic causes for undiagnosed disorders in the Plain Communities, and to do population genetic studies looking at genetic drift and founder mutations in this unique population. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages Up to 100 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Undiagnosed Disease
- How many people
- 300 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Aug 2016to Aug 2040
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Up to 100 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Families of Amish/Mennonite background which include at least one individual with a clinical phenotype and a pedigree suggestive of genetic disease will be considered for the undiagnosed disease portion of the study. Initial outreach will be to Plain Communities in western Pennsylvania, but all Pain Community members are eligible as long as they have been evaluated by a local clinical geneticist. Any individual (and their family members) from the Plain Community is eligible for the population based studies of founder effects and genetic drift.
Who may be able to join
- Any person of Amish or Mennonite descent
Who cannot join
- Individuals who are not of Amish or Mennonite descent
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15224
Jennifer Baker, MA, 412-692-6378, jennifer.baker@chp.edu
Cate Walsh Vockley, MS, LCGC, 412-692-7349, Catherine.WalshVockley@chp.edu
About this study
Official title: Use of Whole Exome Sequencing/Whole Genome Sequencing in the Plain Communities
This study is designed to utilize whole exome and whole genome sequencing techniques to identify underlying genetic causes for undiagnosed disorders in the Plain Communities, and to do population genetic studies looking at genetic drift and founder mutations in this unique population.
Read the detailed description
The long term goal of this proposal is to establish a Translational Medicine Program for the Old Order Amish and Mennonite communities that is accessible to their members with decreasing cost and effective diagnostic strategies, and to leverage the genetic information obtained to better understand the genetic forces and risks driving the health of these populations. As a bridge to do so, next-generation sequencing technology will be used to identify genetic defects in Old Order Amish families/individuals who have a clinical picture suggestive of a Mendelian disorder but with unknown diagnosis. Investigators plan to develop targeted analytical NGS panels optimized for general use in the clinical setting when dealing with Plain Communities patients and families, yielding better and more prompt clinical intervention and improvement of outcomes. The study also involves use of whole genome sequencing for a mutant allele discovery platform to identify novel genetic risks in this population not yet identified in patients, and to use this platform to describe genetic differences in Old Order Amish communities across Pennsylvania and ultimately across the country. With WGS will be used to analyze population genetics by comparing the distribution of genetic variants among the various Amish communities and to compare these with their European ancestry variants available in 1000 genome project, to study the influence of founder-selection and genetic drift in these populations.
- Conditions
- Undiagnosed Disease
- Medical subject headings
- Undiagnosed Diseases
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Exome and genome sequencing results for clinical diagnosis in participants.
Each participant will be sequenced and DNA data will be analyzed for gene mutations consistent with the clinical symptomatology
Measured: Within approximately one year for each participant
Secondary outcomes (1)
Exome and genome sequence results for population genetic studies
Exome and genome sequencing will be used to evaluate genetic changes in specific communities within the Amish and Mennonite communities. These changes/differences will be compared among the groups to show how population migration and new genetic mutations effect the burden of genetic disease in these populations.
Measured: Through study completion, approximately 5 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Oct 2016 (estimated)
- Study startAug 2016
- Primary completionAug 2036 (estimated)
- Study completionAug 2040 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (19)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Undiagnosed DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of PittsburghThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 300 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Pittsburgh
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Horizon Pharma USA, Inc.
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lina Ghaloul Gonzalez, University of Pittsburgh
- Investigators
- Lina Ghaloul Gonzalez, MD, Principal investigator, University of Pittsburgh
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02927158
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY19040413
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 22 Sep 2016
- Last updated
- 10 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Results relevant to the participant's clinical condition will be verified in a CLIA-certified laboratory and reported to the participant.
Publications
International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium. Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome. Nature. 2004 Oct 21;431(7011):931-45. doi: 10.1038/nature03001.
PubMed 15496913Pruitt KD, Harrow J, Harte RA, Wallin C, Diekhans M, Maglott DR, Searle S, Farrell CM, Loveland JE, Ruef BJ, Hart E, Suner MM, Landrum MJ, Aken B, Ayling S, Baertsch R, Fernandez-Banet J, Cherry JL, Curwen V, Dicuccio M, Kellis M, Lee J, Lin MF, Schuster M, Shkeda A, Amid C, Brown G, Dukhanina O, Frankish A, Hart J, Maidak BL, Mudge J, Murphy MR, Murphy T, Rajan J, Rajput B, Riddick LD, Snow C, Steward C, Webb D, Weber JA, Wilming L, Wu W, Birney E, Haussler D, Hubbard T, Ostell J, Durbin R, Lipman D. The consensus coding sequence (CCDS) project: Identifying a common protein-coding gene set for the human and mouse genomes. Genome Res. 2009 Jul;19(7):1316-23. doi: 10.1101/gr.080531.108. Epub 2009 Jun 4.
PubMed 19498102Ng PC, Levy S, Huang J, Stockwell TB, Walenz BP, Li K, Axelrod N, Busam DA, Strausberg RL, Venter JC. Genetic variation in an individual human exome. PLoS Genet. 2008 Aug 15;4(8):e1000160. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000160.
PubMed 18704161Ku CS, Naidoo N, Pawitan Y. Revisiting Mendelian disorders through exome sequencing. Hum Genet. 2011 Apr;129(4):351-70. doi: 10.1007/s00439-011-0964-2. Epub 2011 Feb 18.
PubMed 21331778Metzker ML. Sequencing technologies - the next generation. Nat Rev Genet. 2010 Jan;11(1):31-46. doi: 10.1038/nrg2626. Epub 2009 Dec 8.
PubMed 19997069Ng SB, Buckingham KJ, Lee C, Bigham AW, Tabor HK, Dent KM, Huff CD, Shannon PT, Jabs EW, Nickerson DA, Shendure J, Bamshad MJ. Exome sequencing identifies the cause of a mendelian disorder. Nat Genet. 2010 Jan;42(1):30-5. doi: 10.1038/ng.499. Epub 2009 Nov 13.
PubMed 19915526Rios J, Stein E, Shendure J, Hobbs HH, Cohen JC. Identification by whole-genome resequencing of gene defect responsible for severe hypercholesterolemia. Hum Mol Genet. 2010 Nov 15;19(22):4313-8. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddq352. Epub 2010 Aug 18.
PubMed 20719861Strauss KA, Puffenberger EG. Genetics, medicine, and the Plain people. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2009;10:513-36. doi: 10.1146/annurev-genom-082908-150040.
PubMed 19630565Puffenberger EG. Genetic heritage of the Old Order Mennonites of southeastern Pennsylvania. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2003 Aug 15;121C(1):18-31. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.20003.
PubMed 12888983Payne M, Rupar CA, Siu GM, Siu VM. Amish, mennonite, and hutterite genetic disorder database. Paediatr Child Health. 2011 Mar;16(3):e23-4. doi: 10.1093/pch/16.3.e23. No abstract available.
PubMed 22379385VA, M., Medical genetic studies of the Amish, Selected papers. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 1978.
Morton DH, Morton CS, Strauss KA, Robinson DL, Puffenberger EG, Hendrickson C, Kelley RI. Pediatric medicine and the genetic disorders of the Amish and Mennonite people of Pennsylvania. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2003 Aug 15;121C(1):5-17. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.20002.
PubMed 12888982Francomano CA, McKusick VA, Biesecker LG. Medical genetic studies in the Amish: historical perspective. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2003 Aug 15;121C(1):1-4. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.20001. No abstract available.
PubMed 12888981Rabbani B, Tekin M, Mahdieh N. The promise of whole-exome sequencing in medical genetics. J Hum Genet. 2014 Jan;59(1):5-15. doi: 10.1038/jhg.2013.114. Epub 2013 Nov 7.
PubMed 24196381Johansen Taber KA, Dickinson BD, Wilson M. The promise and challenges of next-generation genome sequencing for clinical care. JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Feb 1;174(2):275-80. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.12048.
PubMed 24217348
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Use of Whole Exome Sequencing/Whole Genome Sequencing in the Plain Communities
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02927158
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY19040413
- Conditions
- Undiagnosed Disease
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 300 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of PittsburghUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Horizon Pharma USA, Inc.
- Study start
- Aug 2016
- Primary completion
- Aug 2036 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Aug 2040 (estimated)
- First posted
- 6 Oct 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study is designed to utilize whole exome and whole genome sequencing techniques to identify underlying genetic causes for undiagnosed disorders in the Plain Communities, and to do population genetic studies looking at genetic drift and founder mutations in this unique population.
Detailed description
The long term goal of this proposal is to establish a Translational Medicine Program for the Old Order Amish and Mennonite communities that is accessible to their members with decreasing cost and effective diagnostic strategies, and to leverage the genetic information obtained to better understand the genetic forces and risks driving the health of these populations. As a bridge to do so, next-generation sequencing technology will be used to identify genetic defects in Old Order Amish families/individuals who have a clinical picture suggestive of a Mendelian disorder but with unknown diagnosis. Investigators plan to develop targeted analytical NGS panels optimized for general use in the clinical setting when dealing with Plain Communities patients and families, yielding better and more prompt clinical intervention and improvement of outcomes. The study also involves use of whole genome sequencing for a mutant allele discovery platform to identify novel genetic risks in this population not yet identified in patients, and to use this platform to describe genetic differences in Old Order Amish communities across Pennsylvania and ultimately across the country. With WGS will be used to analyze population genetics by comparing the distribution of genetic variants among the various Amish communities and to compare these with their European ancestry variants available in 1000 genome project, to study the influence of founder-selection and genetic drift in these populations.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- Up to 100 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Families of Amish/Mennonite background which include at least one individual with a clinical phenotype and a pedigree suggestive of genetic disease will be considered for the undiagnosed disease portion of the study. Initial outreach will be to Plain Communities in western Pennsylvania, but all Pain Community members are eligible as long as they have been evaluated by a local clinical geneticist. Any individual (and their family members) from the Plain Community is eligible for the population based studies of founder effects and genetic drift.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Any person of Amish or Mennonite descent
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Individuals who are not of Amish or Mennonite descent
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Exome and genome sequencing results for clinical diagnosis in participants.
Time frame: Within approximately one year for each participant
Each participant will be sequenced and DNA data will be analyzed for gene mutations consistent with the clinical symptomatology
1 secondary outcome
Exome and genome sequence results for population genetic studies
Time frame: Through study completion, approximately 5 years
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Mar 2026.
- Background: PubMed 15496913International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium. Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome. Nature. 2004 Oct 21;431(7011):931-45. doi: 10.1038/nature03001.
- Background: PubMed 19498102Pruitt KD, Harrow J, Harte RA, Wallin C, Diekhans M, Maglott DR, Searle S, Farrell CM, Loveland JE, Ruef BJ, Hart E, Suner MM, Landrum MJ, Aken B, Ayling S, Baertsch R, Fernandez-Banet J, Cherry JL, Curwen V, Dicuccio M, Kellis M, Lee J, Lin MF, Schuster M, Shkeda A, Amid C, Brown G, Dukhanina O, Frankish A, Hart J, Maidak BL, Mudge J, Murphy MR, Murphy T, Rajan J, Rajput B, Riddick LD, Snow C, Steward C, Webb D, Weber JA, Wilming L, Wu W, Birney E, Haussler D, Hubbard T, Ostell J, Durbin R, Lipman D. The consensus coding sequence (CCDS) project: Identifying a common protein-coding gene set for the human and mouse genomes. Genome Res. 2009 Jul;19(7):1316-23. doi: 10.1101/gr.080531.108. Epub 2009 Jun 4.
- Background: PubMed 18704161Ng PC, Levy S, Huang J, Stockwell TB, Walenz BP, Li K, Axelrod N, Busam DA, Strausberg RL, Venter JC. Genetic variation in an individual human exome. PLoS Genet. 2008 Aug 15;4(8):e1000160. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000160.
- Background: PubMed 21331778Ku CS, Naidoo N, Pawitan Y. Revisiting Mendelian disorders through exome sequencing. Hum Genet. 2011 Apr;129(4):351-70. doi: 10.1007/s00439-011-0964-2. Epub 2011 Feb 18.
- Background: PubMed 19997069Metzker ML. Sequencing technologies - the next generation. Nat Rev Genet. 2010 Jan;11(1):31-46. doi: 10.1038/nrg2626. Epub 2009 Dec 8.
- Background: PubMed 19915526Ng SB, Buckingham KJ, Lee C, Bigham AW, Tabor HK, Dent KM, Huff CD, Shannon PT, Jabs EW, Nickerson DA, Shendure J, Bamshad MJ. Exome sequencing identifies the cause of a mendelian disorder. Nat Genet. 2010 Jan;42(1):30-5. doi: 10.1038/ng.499. Epub 2009 Nov 13.
- Background: PubMed 20719861Rios J, Stein E, Shendure J, Hobbs HH, Cohen JC. Identification by whole-genome resequencing of gene defect responsible for severe hypercholesterolemia. Hum Mol Genet. 2010 Nov 15;19(22):4313-8. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddq352. Epub 2010 Aug 18.
- Background: PubMed 19630565Strauss KA, Puffenberger EG. Genetics, medicine, and the Plain people. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2009;10:513-36. doi: 10.1146/annurev-genom-082908-150040.
- Background: PubMed 12888983Puffenberger EG. Genetic heritage of the Old Order Mennonites of southeastern Pennsylvania. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2003 Aug 15;121C(1):18-31. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.20003.
- Background: PubMed 22379385Payne M, Rupar CA, Siu GM, Siu VM. Amish, mennonite, and hutterite genetic disorder database. Paediatr Child Health. 2011 Mar;16(3):e23-4. doi: 10.1093/pch/16.3.e23. No abstract available.
- BackgroundVA, M., Medical genetic studies of the Amish, Selected papers. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 1978.
- Background: PubMed 12888982Morton DH, Morton CS, Strauss KA, Robinson DL, Puffenberger EG, Hendrickson C, Kelley RI. Pediatric medicine and the genetic disorders of the Amish and Mennonite people of Pennsylvania. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2003 Aug 15;121C(1):5-17. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.20002.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Results relevant to the participant's clinical condition will be verified in a CLIA-certified laboratory and reported to the participant.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Lina Ghaloul Gonzalez, MD principal investigator
University of Pittsburgh
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Undiagnosed Disease, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Cate Walsh Vockley, MS, LCGC (412-692-7349, catherine.walshvockley@chp.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Exome and genome sequencing results for clinical diagnosis in participants. (time frame: Within approximately one year for each participant). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02927158, which also lists 19 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Mar 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.