Scripps Genomic Medicine
We are each unique, yet we are limited by a majority approach to health care. As we share similarities in 99% of our genomic profile, only 1% makes us different. With all good intentions, medications are developed for the masses, joint replacements are created based on average needs, medical treatments are determined by overall outcomes, and clinical trials are randomized. This “treatment for the masses” exposes all of us to a myriad of unnecessary (and potentially costly) side effects.
With an 80-year history of medical research and clinical care, Scripps is developing a genomics and translational research program to change the status-quo and help shape the future of medicine as we know it. The ability to read a person’s specific gene set (genome) already exists. Unfortunately, what the health care community still lacks is the skill and knowledge to effectively use a person’s specific genomic information to improve patient care and disease prevention.
To bridge the gap between genomic discovery, translation and treatment of disease, Scripps Health invested millions to establish the Scripps Translational Science Institute in 2007. Since cancer accounts for one in four deaths annually in the U.S. and cardiovascular disease is the nation’s leading killer, much of our research is influenced to improve care and find cures for these particular devastating diseases. We also recruited Eric Topol, MD, one of the premier cardiologists and physician/scientists in the world, to lead the genomics and translational research programs. Dr. Topol was recently named a “Doctor of the Decade” by the Institute for Scientific Information for being one of the top 10 most cited researchers in medicine. Dr. Topol’s goal is to define the genes that underlie susceptibility to disease aimed at changing and individualizing the practice of medicine. (see staff bio information)
We are pleased that The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI), a collaborative of nine institutions, a $20 million Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). STSI is one of only 14 research centers in the nation to receive this prestigious honor, the first in Southern California, and the first program not affiliated with a university to ever secure this type of funding. This grant adds significant momentum to our work. Our focus is on moving discoveries from laboratory benches to patient bedsides in the safest, most efficient and most effective way possible.
