Dr. Shuldiner and Amish boy
The Amish
The Old Order Amish (OOA) population of Lancaster County, PA immigrated to the Colonies from Western Europe in the early 1700’s. There are now over 40,000 OOA individuals in the Lancaster area, nearly all of whom can trace their ancestry back 12-14 generations to approximately 500 founders.
Investigators at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have been studying the genetic determinants of cardiometabolic health in this population since 1993. To date, over 10,000 Amish adults have participated in one or more of our studies.
Amish Research Program investigators have a diverse range of interests in population and basic science and in clinical and translational research.
Program Mission Statement
The Amish Research Clinic is the backbone of the Amish Research Program and contributes to improvements in healthcare through research. It also serves as a resource for health information and knowledge to the Amish Community.
Interested in leveraging Amish biospecimens or genomic data for your research?
The Amish Research Program supports high‑impact scientific discovery. If you are a researcher interested in exploring collaboration opportunities—including the potential for access to Amish biospecimens or associated data for IRB‑approved studies—we welcome your inquiry to discuss feasibility, regulatory requirements, community considerations, and next steps for collaboration.
Links to related sites:
Young Center for Anabaptist Studies - Amish Studies