The infrastructure and processes described here have enabled GENEVA investigators to address common problems, facilitated the generation of new ideas for research and cross-study analyses, and provided GENEVA investigators with a means of turning these questions into active areas of study. GENEVA initially convened seven phenotype WGs. These included anthropometry, alcohol use, smoking, caffeine use, female reproductive history, psychiatric history, and oral health. As groups met and discussed the details of how and what data were collected, a few collaborations were determined to be not feasible (e.g. psychiatric history was not adequately addressed across most of the studies) and one group found that the distribution of data between two studies differed to such an extent that cross-study analyses were inappropriate. However, as investigators have become familiar with the various studies and with each other, and as new studies have joined the consortium, several new areas of mutual interest (e.g. sleep, protective effects, and physical activity) were identified and prompted the formation of new WGs. Each WG has identified one or more key phenotypes for which three or more studies are
