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On January 8-9, 2014, the Global Leaders in Genomic Medicine meeting was held at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), and co-chaired by Geoffrey Ginsburg and Teri Manolio.

The goals of the meeting were to: (a) Identify areas of active translational and implementation research, potential common strategies, and opportunities for collaborative efforts, (b) Identify common barriers to implementation of genomics in healthcare and a policy agenda relevant to advances in the field, (c) Identify nations with unique capabilities (such as national healthcare systems) that may allow rapid implementation and measures of key outcomes, and (d) Discuss opportunities (such as national healthcare system) that may allow rapid implementation and measures of key outcomes.

Commemorative picture of the participants of the Global Leaders in Genomic Medicine meeting (Courtesy of Dr. Teri Manolio). Professors Al-Mulla and Patrinos are in the front row, together with Dr. Geoff Ginsburg (Duke University), Dr. Eric Green (Director; National Human Genome Research Institute), and Dr. Teri Manolio (Director; Genomic Medicine Division, National Human Genome Research Institute).

In this meeting, the Genomic Medicine Alliance Scientific Advisory Committee members, Professors Fahd al-Mulla (Safat. Kuwait) and George P. Patrinos (Patras, Greece), have presented the Genomic Medicine Alliance concept, which was very well received by the attendees.

Please click here to view the meeting slides and videos.

 

The Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine at King’s College, London is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for 2014/15 for a new Postgraduate Programme in Bioethics & Society.
 
The Bioethics & Society programme is offered as a 1-year full time / 2-year part-timeMaster in Bioethics & Society (180 credits), a 1-year PG Diploma in Bioethics & Society (120 credits, coursework only), or a 6-month PG Certificate in Bioethics & Society (60 credits, selected coursework).
 
Why does is matter?
 
Advances in biomedicine and neuroscience raise some of the most difficult ethical and societal questions of our time. The Bioethics & Society Programme facilitates close study of these questions, drawing on concepts, theories and methods from philosophy and the social sciences. Students are inspired to understand how bioethics influences the world, and they are enabled to contribute solutions to bioethical problems.
 
What is unique about this programme?
 
· The only UK Bioethics programme based in a social science department.
· Taught in the heart of London, with immediate access to King’s hospitals and laboratories, and close to government, health policy think-tanks, patient advocacy groups, medical and scientific societies, and the private health sector
· Offers a unique ‘real-world’ approach to bioethics, allowing students to understand the social and political contexts in which bioethical controversies arise and proposed solutions are developed
· Equips students with essential knowledge and skills to make a contribution to resolving bioethical problems
· Offers rigorous training in quantitative and qualitative research methods and empirical ethics
· Provides internship opportunities that allow students to gather practical insights and to build professional networks
 
Lectures and seminars are taught by internationally recognized faculty who consult with the World Health Organization, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, and the UK Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology, among others.
 
A rich programme of guest lectures and seminars within the Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine and the College, including the KCL / UCL Joint Bioethics Colloquium, and the SSHM Seminar Series, enhances students’ learning experience, and networking opportunities.
 
Core programme content
 
Non-core content:
At SSHM we are committed to a thoroughly interdisciplinary approach to bioethics, and we encourage students to shape their non-core curriculum according to their individual interests and needs.
Students can therefore take 60-80 credits of optional modules taught at the Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine, and in other departments at King’s College (for a total of 180-200 credits).
The optional modules can be grouped around five concentrations or career streams:

1) Research Ethics / Clinical Ethics
2) Genetics & Reproduction
3) Health Policy & Public Health
4) Neuroscience & Mental Health
5) Global Trends

For more information on the career streams see here.
 
Who is the programme for?
 
The programme is ideal for health professionals, graduates of a relevant discipline, policy makers and shapers, and those wishing to develop a more rigorous understanding of ethical and societal issues in biomedicine, neuroscience, and health policy today. Our degree lays the foundation for future careers; for example, in government, national and international NGOs, teaching, or research in bioethics or social sciences. The programme can also enhance existing careers in clinical practice, biomedical research, public health, and health policy. 
 
How do I find out more?
 
For any queries, contact the Admissions’ Tutor, Dr Silvia Camporesi: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Golden Helix Foundation has officially announced the organization of the 2014 Golden Helix Summer School in Aegina, an island near Athens, Greece, 11-15 September 2014. The Golden Helix Summer Schools are international educational activities in the field of Genomic Medicine and Genome Informatics. The Genomic Medicine Aliance is proud to place this event under its auspices.The scientific program of the 2014 Golden Helix Summer School will be announced shortly. Please visit the 2014 Golden Helix Summer School main page to register to attend this event.

Personalized Medicine will publish a special issue in September 2014 entitled “Working towards personalization in medicine: Genomics in 2014” guest edited by George Patrinos (Universityof Patras, Greece) and Barbara Prainsack (King’s College London, UK). The contents of this special issue will include review, perspective and original articles reporting timely updates over the various disciplines related to genomic medicine. Compilation of this special issue is encouraged by the Genomic Medicine Alliance.

Personalized Medicine translates recent genomic and proteomic advances into the clinical context, and addresses the impact of pharmacogenomics in modern medicine, providing an integrated forum for all players involved in the healthcare value chain. Coverage includes news and views, current awareness regarding new biomarkers, concise commentaries and analysis, reports from the conference circuit and full review articles. Personalized Medicine is indexed by Scopus, EMBASE/ExcerptaMedica, Chemical Abstracts, ISI Journal CitationReports®, Science Citation Index Expanded (SciSearch®) and Current Contents®/Clinical Medicine, with an Impact Factor of 1.51 (2012).

Contributions to this special issue should address at least two of the following questions:

  • What practices and technologies in your field have been enabling factors of more personalized medicine and healthcare in recent years?
  • What would be your vision, in very concrete terms, for personalized medicine and healthcare from the perspective of your field?
  • Where are the main obstacles to reaching this vision, from today’s perspective?
  • What are the health-economic implications of practices and technologies of personalization that are in use today in your field?
  • What are the social justice implications of practices and technologies of personalization that are in use today in your field?
  • What are the perspectives of patients on these issues?
  • How can initiatives such as the Genomic Medicine Alliance help to bring us closer to a vision of personalized medicine that leads to better, more patient-centered, and ultimately also more cost-effective healthcare?

We are delighted to invite you to submit an article for publication in this special issue (subject to peer-review). If you are interested in contributing to the issue or would like further information please contact the Commissioning Editor Hannah Wilson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Global Leaders in Genomic Medicine meeting

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is organizing a two-day meeting of global leaders to examine the application of genomics to clinical care (genomic medicine). The meeting will take place January 8-9, 2014 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC.

The goals of the meeting are to ascertain what is being done internationally in this area and to identify specific ways in which participants can work together to advance the field. With this in mind, the NHGRI has invited specific participants to attend and represent their country’s or organization’s perspectives in this important area.

Two members of the Genomic Medicine Alliance Scientific Advisory Committee, Professors Fahd Al-Mulla and George Patrinos have been invited to lecture in this meeting. Professor Al-Mulla will give an overview of the Genome Arabia project and Professor Patrinos will report the current achievements and future goals of the Genomic Medicine Alliance

The NHGRI recognizes that many nations are investing in the application of genomic information to clinical care, while at the same time addressing questions regarding the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of such efforts. A meeting of global leaders in this area is expected to create opportunities for collectively assessing the value and accelerating the appropriate translation of genomic science to the practice of medicine.

The meeting will be webcast live and will be archived in the NHGRI collection of video resources GenomeTV. For up-to-date information about the meeting, please visit the NHGRI website.

More Articles ...

  1. Publication of a Special Issue in Personalized Medicine
  2. Endorsement of the 2013 Golden Helix Symposium
  3. Interview in the Slovenian television
  4. Scientific Advisory Committee
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