Asian Bipolar Genetics Network

1/4 Asian Bipolar Genetics Network (A-BIG-NET)

NIH-funded research Broad Institute, INC. · NIH-11397173

Collect genetic and health information from adults of Asian ancestry with and without bipolar disorder to look for genetic differences linked to bipolar disorder.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBroad Institute, INC. NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Cambridge, United States)
Project IDNIH-11397173 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project brings together research centers across East and South Asia to build a large genetic database of people with and without bipolar disorder. If you join, you'll be asked to provide a blood or saliva sample for DNA sequencing and to share medical and life-stress information through interviews or questionnaires. Researchers will use 4x low-pass whole genome sequencing to compare common and rare genetic variants between 27,500 cases and 16,000 controls and include environmental measures. The goal is to find genetic differences that explain bipolar risk in Asian populations and help make future testing or treatments more accurate for people like you.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21+) of Asian ancestry with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and Asian-ancestry adults without bipolar disorder to serve as comparison participants.

Not a fit: People who are not of Asian ancestry or who are under 21 are less likely to be represented and may not directly benefit from the population-specific findings.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could identify genetic markers that improve diagnosis, risk prediction, or point toward new treatments for bipolar disorder in Asian populations.

How similar studies have performed: Large genetic studies in mainly European populations have successfully identified risk loci for bipolar disorder, so the methods are proven but applying them to Asian groups is novel.

Where this research is happening

Cambridge, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.