Author/Authors :
Sepanlou, Sadaf G. tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Etemadi, Arash tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Etemadi, Arash National Cancer Institute - Division of Cancer Epidemiologyand Genetics, USA , Kamangar, Farin MorganState University - School of Community Health and Policy - Departmentof Public Health Analysis, USA , Kamangar, Farin tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Sepehr, Alireza Harvard University - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Department of Pathology, USA , Pourshams, Akram tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Poustchi, Hossein tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Islami, Farhad tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Islami, Farhad Mount Sinai School of Medicine - Institute forTranslational Epidemiology and Tisch Cancer Institute, USA , Sadjadi, Alireza tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Sadjadi, Alireza Karolinska Institute, Sweden , Nasrollahzadeh, Dariush Karolinska Institute - Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Sweden , Nasrollahzadeh, Dariush tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease research Center, تهران, ايران , Semnani, Shahryar golestan university of medical sciences - Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, ايران , Saidi, Farrokh tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران , Abnet, Christian C. National Institutes of Health - Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, USA , Ponder, Bruce University of Cambridge, UK , Pharoah, Paul D. University of Cambridge, UK , Day, Nicholas E. University of Cambridge, UK , Brennan, Paul International Agency for Research on Cancer, France , Boffetta, Paolo Mount Sinai School of Medicine - Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Tisch Cancer Institute, USA , Boffetta, Paolo International Prevention Research Institute, France , Dawsey, Sanford M. National Cancer Institute - Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, USA , Malekzadeh, Reza tehran university of medical sciences tums - Shariati Hospital - Digestive Disease Research Center, تهران, ايران
Abstract :
BACKGROUND: The Gastro-Esophageal Malignancies in Northern Iran (GEMINI) research project is an example of recent progress in health research in Iran. The original aim of this project was to identify etiologic factors and prevention measures for upper gastrointestinal cancers in Northern provinces of Iran, but its achievements have gone much beyond this initial goal. METHODS: GEMINI consists of several projects including cancer registries, pilot studies, case-control studies, and the Golestan Cohort Study. GEMINI has been conducted through extensive collaborations between the Digestive Disease Research Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences with other domestic and international health organizations. The achievements of GEMINI include producing new knowledge, introducing new research methods, developing and expanding health research and health care infrastructures, investing in human resources, and increasing the awareness and knowledge of policy makers and officials at all levels about the importance of chronic diseases in Iran’s health priorities. CONCLUSION: The success of GEMINI reveals the feasibility of large-scale health research studies in developing countries and serves as a successful model not only for health research in Iran, but also for similar research studies in other developing nations
