Genomics and Precision Health Posts

Beyond Tuberculosis: BCG Vaccine and Epigenetics

Tuberculosis (TB) infection is spread from person to person by respiratory droplets containing the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This infection mainly affects the lungs and may be fatal if left untreated. TB remains a leading cause of death worldwide. In 1921, a live attenuated vaccine, called the BCG vaccine, was introduced to protect against TB. The Read More >

Posted on by Emily Drzymalla, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta GA and Marta Gwinn, CFOL International, Atlanta GALeave a comment
Categories epigenetics, genomics
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Predictive Analytics, Implementation Science, Precision Medicine and Precision Public Health

twp figures looking at a wall of graphs depicting predicive analytics, a doctor with a stethoscope that has a magifying glass on a red figure surrounded by lots of other clusters of figures

This blog is a summary of our recent paper based on a multidisciplinary workshop convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to explore enhancement of predictive analytics for implementation research. The use of predictive analytics in precision medicine (the right intervention to the right patient at the right time) is well established. The Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury and George A. Mensah *Leave a comment
Categories precision medicine, precision public health
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Toward More Precision in Implementation Science in the Age of COVID-19

Implementation Science with COVID-19

Implementation science (IS) is “the study of methods to promote the adoption and integration of evidence-based practices, interventions, and policies into routine health care and public health settings to improve the impact on population health.” The various factors that must be taken into consideration in designing, conducting, and evaluating IS studies dictate an inherent “precision” Read More >

Posted on by Mindy Clyne, David A Chambers, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland and Muin J. Khoury, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a comment
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From Precision Medicine to Precision Public Health: Beyond the Pandemic

the word Medicine with an arrow to the word Public Health and the word Precision over all of them with a background of connected people and several COVID-19 viruses

Precision medicine and precision public health are emerging fields that use genomics and other big data technologies to provide more targeted interventions at the individual and population levels. Precision medicine can be thought of as delivering the right intervention to the right individual at the right time, while precision public health can be simply viewed Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, and Michael F. Iademarco, Center for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a comment
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Accelerating Precision in Public Health Surveillance and Response

When our communities face a health crisis, the research, clinical, and public health worlds come together and collaborate. Public health programs drive toward prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the population, but they need the support and guidance of data-driven research behind them every step of the way. While most of the data needed to accelerate Read More >

Posted on by Paula Braun (CDC), Kevin Chaney (ONC), Muin J. Khoury (CDC), Teresa Zayas Cabán (ONC)Leave a comment
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Genetic Counseling in the Time of COVID-19

a hand magnifying DNA on COVID-19 with cellphones, tablets and laptops being connected by figures

Genetic counselors play an important role in clinical genetics by helping patients understand their genetic health risks. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most clinics and hospitals have restricted in-person delivery of non-essential healthcare services, including genetic counseling, to slow the spread of the virus. However, delaying genetic counseling can be problematic, for example, when genetic Read More >

Posted on by Katie Bruder, Genetic Counseling Training Program Class of 2020, Emory University School of Medicine and Ridgely Fisk Green, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a comment
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Implementation Science to Improve Case Finding, Cascade Screening, and Treatment for Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Prototype for Precision Public Health Research

a heart being magnified in a body, a FH pedrigree on top of a US map and a heart being listened to wiht a stethoscope

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder, affecting more than 1 million people in the United States. FH causes lifelong high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and if untreated, leads to a high risk of premature coronary heart disease. Most patients with FH are undiagnosed or inadequately treated with regular or high-intensity statins, leaving Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia and George A Mensah, Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MarylandLeave a comment
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How Can Evidence Synthesis be Conducted at the Speed of a Pandemic?

COVID-19 and a person dealing with data

Since December, 2019, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has rapidly spread around the world. The global pandemic has led to numerous scientific publications in basic, clinical and public health science and increased pressure to act on evidence as it emerges. Typically, research is done to inform decisions over time and is disseminated to the Read More >

Posted on by Caitlin G. Allen, W. David Dotson, Scott Bowen, Muin J. Khoury, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaLeave a comment
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The Public Health Impact of COVID-19: Why Host Genomics?

covid-19 virus overlayed on whole genome sequencing with a world map in the background where figures are connected with lines

Throughout human history, zoonotic pandemics have periodically resulted in catastrophic human morbidity and mortality exceeding war, famine, and natural disasters combined. Modern era medicine and public health have made remarkable advances, but vulnerabilities have also increased with unprecedented world population growth, greater interaction with wildlife, and the dramatic expansion of international air travel. Viral diseases Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Marta Gwinn, CFOL International for Office of Advanced Molecular Detection, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Priya Duggal, Genetic Epidemiology Program, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland1 Comment
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Using Digital Technologies in Precision Public Health: COVID-19 and Beyond

a hand holdign a cell phone with lots of data surrounding it including a coronavirus cell

With the global spread of COVID-19, there is a proliferation of scientific information and publications that use novel approaches such as genomics and precision health tools (e.g., big data, wearables, and digital devices) in surveillance and epidemiologic investigations. Could these new technologies provide added value to traditional approaches? In the past, we have written about Read More >

Posted on by Muin J. Khoury, Scott Bowen, Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Paula Braun, Entrepreneur in Residence, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionLeave a comment
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