title: The gastro-esophageal malignancies in Northern Iran research project: impact on the health research and health care systems in Iran.
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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sadaf G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Sepanlou
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Etemadi
authors.forename: Farin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kamangar
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sepehr
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourshams
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Poustchi
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Islami
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadjadi
authors.forename: Dariush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nasrollahzadeh
authors.forename: Shahryar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semnani
authors.forename: Farrokh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.forename: Christian C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Abnet
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ponder
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Pharoah
authors.forename: Nicholas E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffetta
authors.forename: Sanford M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dawsey
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D003906:Developing Countries; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D012042:Registries; D012107:Research Design; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control