Kathy Hudson, Ph.D.

Kathy Hudson, Ph.D.,  leader of an unprecedented study into how your genetic profile, lifestyle and environment impact health and disease, will share patient opportunities and policy challenges in “The Precision Medicine Initiative: An Update and the Vision” at Individualizing Medicine 2016: Advancing Care Through Genomics, hosted by the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine,  in Rochester, Minn., on Oct. 5-6.

Dr. Hudson, deputy director for Science, Outreach and Policy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and head of the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) Cohort explains, “The mission of the Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program is to create the knowledge, policies, infrastructure and culture to enable more targeted therapies and prevention to keep people healthy. This is the biggest ever longitudinal cohort research program in the United States. It will create an astonishingly rich array of data that can be used to address issues in health and disease that have dogged us forever, especially in the area of health disparities.”

The PMI cohort, part of the Precision Medicine Initiative launched by President Obama in 2015, is a research cohort that aims to advance the understanding of disease and shepherd in a new era of individualized medicine by building a national research repository of patient genetic profiles, health records and environmental data from one million or more people by 2020.

What makes the Precision Medicine Cohort Program unique?

Dr. Hudson says a true partnership with research participants is a key distinguishing feature of the program:

• Participants in the Cohort Program will be true partners — not patients, not subjects — and will be involved in every step of the development of the cohort, including what data to collect, what lab analyses to do and what data should be returned to them.
• The cohort will represent the rich diversity of America, engaging volunteers of all economic levels, races, ethnic groups and communities to produce meaningful health outcomes for all.
• Data sharing will be swift to both researchers, and participants will have access to study information and data about themselves. Privacy and security principles will adhere to the highest standards.

What is the research focus of the Cohort Program and how will the data be used?

According to Dr. Hudson, the cohort will not be focused on a specific disease, but instead will serve as a broad resource for researchers working on a variety of important health questions:

• Researchers will use the data to extend the success that precision medicine has had with certain types of cancer to many other diseases and conditions.
• It’s not just about illness, it’s also about health — the project will also increase understanding of preventive care and what works best for individuals.

Dr. Hudson will also participate in a panel discussion, “Precision Medicine Initiative: From Implementation to Impact.” Learn more about the session here.

Join us to learn more

Hear Dr. Hudson and other experts discuss the latest research in precision medicine at Individualizing Medicine 2016: Advancing Care Through Genomics. The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, is hosting the fifth annual genomics conference, October 5–6, in Rochester, Minn.

• For a complete schedule and list of speakers, visit the conference website.
• You may also learn more about the conference on the video blog series, “Story by Story.”
• Follow the latest news related to the conference on the Center for Individualized Medicine blog, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter at @MayoClinicCIM and use the hashtag #CIMCon16.

The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine is hosting the conference with support from the Satter Foundation.

Tags: #CIMCon16, #PMI Cohort Program, #Precision Medicine Iniative, #Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program, #PrecisionMedicine, Biobank, center for individualized medicine, Dr. Kathy Hudson, mayo clinic, NIH, PMI, Uncategorized