NIH Awards $27 Million to New Network of Learning Health Systems Based on Genomic Technology
September 23, 2024
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Press release
Monday, September 23, 2024
The network will improve the integration of genomics into patient care.
The National Institutes of Health has awarded $5.4 million to support the establishment of a program that integrates genomics into learning health systems.
Learning health systems, which are present in many hospitals in the United States and Canada, connect research to patient care. The systems analyze patient data using a variety of methods. The results of these analyses are then used by clinicians to improve their practices.
The Genomics-enabled Learning Health System Network (gLHS), a new initiative, aims to identify and advance approaches to integrating genomic data into learning health systems. Learning health systems offer a way to rapidly translate genomic evidence into better medical care. As more people undergo genomic testing, more data becomes available.
The network is comprised of six clinical study sites and a coordinating center, all of which have their own learning health systems. The clinical sites will each propose a specific project to refine and develop a particular aspect of genomic medicine using patient data. This could involve implementing tests for inherited diseases or using genomic data to choose which medicine to give a patient.
A coordination centre is also part of the network. It will select a number of projects that are both feasible and can be implemented within the five-year programme.
Robb Rowley MD is director of the Division of Genomic Medicine at the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the NIH. He said, “We are excited to bring this network together to translate genomic discoveries into the clinic.” Learning health systems are a great way to create new medical knowledge using genomic data. This is essential to realizing the promise of precision health for all.
The gLHS network's major goal is to develop generalizable genomic medicine and knowledge so that the data collected in each clinic can be used more widely. The coordination center, in addition to exchanging information with other members of the network, will also coordinate the sharing of tools and resources available through the network.
These sharing practices can reach patients who are not in hospitals with learning health systems. Many under-resourced clinical settings such as rural hospitals or low-income areas are included.
Teri Manolio MD Ph.D. is the Director of the Division of Genomic Medicine at NHGRI. She has stated that “currently, learning health systems are generally successful only in high-resource medical centers.” We hope that this initiative will provide generalizable resources to help resource-limited settings learn from their ongoing experience implementing genomic medicine.
The awards, jointly funded by NHGRI, the National Cancer Institute and NCI, total $27 million and will be awarded over the five-year program, as funds permit.
Coordination Center and Principal Investigators
Vanderbilt University Medical Center – Nashville, TN
- Josh F. Peterson MD
- Carolyn Audet, Ph.D.
- Dr. Wesley Self
Clinical Trial Sites and Principal Investigators
Boston Veterans Administration Research Institute – Boston, MA
- Dr. Jason Vassy
- Maren Scheuner, MD, MPH
- Deepak Voora, MD
- Dr. Lori Orlando
Geisinger Health System – Danville, PA
- Adam Buchanan MPH
Indiana University School of Medicine – Indianapolis, IN
- Todd C. Skaar, Ph.D.
- Dr. Paul R. Dexter
Northwestern Medicine Feinberg Medical School – Chicago, IL
- Patricia D. Franklin, MD, MPH
- Elizabeth M. McNally Ph.D.
- Lucy A. Godley, MD, Ph.D.
- Rinad S. Beidas, Ph.D.
University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City (UT)
- Kensaku Kawasaki, MD
- Mark Yandell, Ph.D.
- Martin Tristani-Firouzi, Doctor of Medicine
Vanderbilt University Medical Center – Nashville, TN
- Dan Roden, MD
- Sunil Kripalani, MD
- Alexander Bick, MD, Ph.D.
The National Human Genome Research Institute: We are a research institute focused on genomics. We collaborate with scientists and physicians around the world to improve genomic technologies and accelerate advances. We can all benefit from empowering and expanding the field of genomes. Visit NHGRI for more information about its programs. www.genome.gov.
The National Institutes of Health: The NIH is the medical research agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It includes 27 institutes and centers. The NIH, the nation's medical research agency, is the primary federal agency that conducts and supports basic, translational, and clinical medical research. It also studies the causes, treatment, and cures of common and rare diseases. Visit the NIH for more information about its programs and services. www.nih.gov.
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