Precision Medicine Program

Rapid advancements in genetics, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are leading to profound changes in medical research and the practice of medicine. Precision medicine, sometimes called personalized medicine, is the next wave in medical care. The National Institutes of Health defines precision medicine as “an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment and lifestyle for each person.” Every day, there are exciting discoveries about the way that an individual’s genes, combined with environment and lifestyle, impact overall health. Targeted treatments based on genetics are driving advances in patient care for common to unusual diseases.

In order to stay at the forefront and lead these advances, National Jewish Health is evolving, both in the research we conduct, and in the way we practice medicine. The Precision Medicine Program serves as a hub within the organization to:

• Integrate current programs involved in genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics, and other aspects of basic science research with the clinical side of the organization
• Seek grant funding and conduct research focused on personalized medicine
• Expand the results of precision medicine related research quickly into clinical practice

The Precision Medicine Program leverages existing resources within the organization while building and integrating new infrastructure to support the evolution to personalized medicine in clinical practice.

National Jewish Health has unique patient populations as well as the clinical expertise to manage these patients. Current programs that will be integrated under the umbrella of Precision Medicine include:

• Biobank
• Research database
• Metabolomics, proteomics, genetics, and genomics

A bioinformatics program will be built to support the integration of these resources.