Nearly all common diseases, including those endemic to Geisinger’s patient population, are known to be influenced by genetic factors. Geisinger’s Genomics Health Program uses genomic medicine—the study of the effects of an individual’s genetic inheritance on his or her health and disease status—to develop innovative treatment strategies and cures that promise a new era of medical advances. 

Geisinger’s Genomic Health Program researchers are abetted by a large, stable patient population, an integrated comprehensive health care delivery system, and fully implemented electronic health records that provide an invaluable tool for linking genomic data to individual patients.  Additionally, the Geisinger Genomics Core provides genomics laboratory facilities, sophisticated instrumentation, and houses the MyCode project—a biobank collection of nearly 10,000 blood samples from consenting Geisinger patients.

Examples of Current Collaborative Studies

• In tandem with Geisinger’s Obesity Institute, efforts are focusing on using genetic variation and data to determine a patient’s candidacy for bariatric surgery; termed “surgicogenomics,” this flagship investigation identifies genetic factors that predict the likelihood that bariatric patients will maintain post-surgery weight loss targets 12 months after surgery.
• Geisinger’s Department of Vascular Surgery is engaging in genomics research that predicts the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms in older men--a sometimes fatal disease.  Genomic medicine is being used to identify patients at higher risk so appropriate treatment can be administered earlier in the progression of the disease.

Leadership

Co-directors
David Ledbetter, PhD, the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Human Genetics at Emory University School of Medicine, serves as a consultant to Geisinger’s Genomic Health Program. He has been instrumental in building the program’s infrastructure, including assembling the external scientific advisory board and recommending and evaluating potential collaborative projects. 

David J. Carey, PhD, Associate Chief Research Officer, Director, and Senior Scientist of the Sigfried and Janet Weis Center for Research. Dr. Carey has extensive research experience in the areas of cellular and molecular biology, and is now extensively engaged in genomics research on vascular disease and other areas.  Dr. Carey has served as a key player in the development of translational genomics research at Geisinger since 2004.

Glen Gerhard, MD, serves as director of the Geisinger Genomics Core, Medical Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory and Staff Scientist in Geisinger’s Sigfried and Janet Weis Center for Research.

Scientific Advisory Board

Geisinger’s Genomic Medicine Scientific Advisory Board, was formed in 2004 to provide strategic guidance to Geisinger on translational genomics research.  The Board convenes twice per year at Geisinger Medical Center and meets with Geisinger scientists and physicians involved in Genomic Medicine research.  They also provide critical feedback on ongoing projects and advice on future directions of Geisinger’s Genomics Health Program. 

The Scientific Advisory Board has three external members who are widely recognized and respected for their significant accomplishments in this area of research: David Ledbetter, PhD, Woodruff Professor of Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine; Eric Green, MD, PhD, Scientific Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH; and Phil Reilly, MD, JD, former CEO of Interleukin Genetics and a renowned expert in genomics research and ethics.