IGNITE II, or Implementing GeNomics In pracTiCe, is an NIH-funded network dedicated to supporting the implementation of genomics in healthcare.

The network is comprised of five research sites that help promote the mission of IGNITE II through support from a coordinating center, working groups, affiliate members, and an external scientific panel.

Coordinating Center
Indiana University
Mount Sinai
Duke University
University of Florida
Vanderbilt Clinical Group

 

Coordinating Center
Working Groups
Affiliate Members
External Scientific Panel

RESEARCH SITES

Coordinating Center

Housed within the Duke Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the overarching goal of the Coordinating Center (CC) is to ensure the success of the IGNITE II Network in designing, implementing and completing its genomic medicine pragmatic clinical trial (PCT) agenda. The CC will do this by providing genomic medicine and clinical trials expertise and leadership as well as the infrastructure, processes, state-of-the-art technology and data science solutions. The CC will serve as a catalyst for collaboration, both within and externally to the IGNITE II Network with the goal of demonstrating the network’s value to a broader group of genomic medicine stakeholders in order to promote a more rapid uptake of genomic medicine in clinical practice.

The CC provides a wide range of supporting activities, including:

  • Providing strategic organizational leadership to develop a novel, flexible and adaptable genomic PCT network;
  • Implementing an administrative management structure for the network that enables seamless communication, information sharing and optimum network productivity;
  • Ensuring optimal and adaptable PCT design, participant recruitment and data collection;
  • Developing a comprehensive analysis framework for evaluating the implementation and clinical effectiveness of the genomic medicine interventions; and
  • Communicating and disseminating knowledge beyond the network.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Geoffrey Ginsburg, M.D., Ph.D. – Director of the Duke Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine and the MEDx Initiative; Professor of Medicine, Pathology and Biomedical Engineering

Hrishikesh Chakraborty, DrPH – Associate Director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute; Co-Director of Biostatistics and Computational Biology Core, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)

</p> <h4>KEY PERSONNEL:</h4> <p>

Geoffrey Ginsburg, M.D., Ph.D. – Director of the Duke Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine and the MEDx Initiative; Professor of Medicine, Pathology and Biomedical Engineering

Hrishikesh Chakraborty, DrPH – Associate Director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute; Co-Director of Biostatistics and Computational Biology Core, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)

Kevin Anstrom, Ph.D. – Director of Biostatistics, DCRI; Director for Data Solutions for Clinical Trials

Alicia Ellis, Ph.D. – Biostatistician

Alissa Kocer, M.F.A. – Communications Specialist

Gladwell Mbochi, M.A. – Research Program Leader

Rachel Myers, Ph.D. – Research Scientist

Lori Orlando, M.D., M.H.S. – Associate Professor of Medicine

Teji Rakhra-Burris, M.A. – Senior Research Program Leader, Program Manager

Mary Ann Sellers, M.S.N., P.M.P. – Clinical Trials Project Leader

Nina Sperber, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor in Population Health Sciences

James Topping, M.S. – Bioinformatician

Nancy Wakeley – Program Manager

Indiana University Health

Indiana University Health is a nonprofit healthcare system located in Indiana. It is the largest and most comprehensive healthcare system in the state with 16 hospitals under its IU Health brand and almost 30,000 employees. A unique partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine, one of the nation’s leading medical schools, gives patients access to leading-edge medicine and treatment options that are available first, and often only, at IU Health. The IU Health system has a total capacity of 2,696 beds with annual admissions of over 115,000 and more than 2.8 million outpatient visits per year.

Eskenazi Health System, partnering with the Indiana University School of Medicine, serves as the public hospital division of the Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County. Eskenazi Health provides a comprehensive range of primary and specialty care services at the 315-bed hospital and outpatient facilities both on and off the Eskenazi Health downtown campus as well as at 10 Eskenazi Health Center sites located throughout Indianapolis. Eskenazi Health’s programs have received national recognition while also offering new health care opportunities to the local community. As the sponsoring hospital for Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services, the city’s primary EMS provider, Eskenazi Health is also home to the first adult Level I trauma center in Indiana, the only verified adult burn center in Indiana, the first community mental health center in Indiana and the Eskenazi Health Center Primary Care.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Todd Skaar, Ph.D. - Professor of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology

Paul Dexter, M.D. – Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine

</p> <h4>KEY PERSONNEL:</h4> <p>

Todd Skaar, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Indiana University School of Medicine

Paul Dexter, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine

Zeruesenay Desta, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Indiana University School of Medicine

Michael Eadon, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Indiana University School of Medicine

David Haas, M.D., Professor of Ob/Gyn, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine

Ann Holmes, Ph.D., Associate Professor – Department of Health Policy and Management, Indiana University Purdue University Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health

Kenneth Levy, Ph.D., M.B.A., Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Indiana University School of Medicine

Victoria Pratt, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine

Senthilkumar Sadhasivam, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine

Yong Zang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine

</p> <h4>RELATED EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:</h4> <p>

The Division of Clinical Pharmacology T32-Fellowship Program at the IU School of Medicine is dedicated to training physicians, pharmacists and related health-care professionals in clinical pharmacology. The two-year minimum curriculum is designed to generate independent investigators for careers in academia, government and industry. This fellowship program is one of the few in the United States funded by the National Institute of Health, certified by the American Board of Clinical Pharmacology, and a recipient of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Pharmacology grant from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s Foundation.

The IU School of Medicine Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics prepares trainees for successful careers in biomedical genetic research—in clinical medicine, industry and academics—through courses for medical students, masters students, and Ph.D. candidates as well as residency and fellowship training for post-graduates. The mission of the Medical and Molecular Genetics educational programs is to improve human health through research in genetics and apply the knowledge gained to further training and clinical service. This mission facilitates an understanding of the bench to bedside approach to medical science. Since the late 1960s, the department has trained more than 300 graduate students and fellows. The department offers a Ph.D. degree in Medical and Molecular Genetics, a Master of Science degree in Medical and Molecular Genetics, and a Master of Science degree with an emphasis in genetic counseling.

 

Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven member hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services, from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.

The Health System’s seven member hospital campuses include Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai Queens, Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, Mount Sinai Brooklyn, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, and The Mount Sinai Hospital.

The Institute for Family Health (IFH) is a federally-qualified community health center (FQHC) network committed to high-quality, affordable health care for all. IFH strives for excellence at each of their 30 practices, most of which are located in NYC, while accepting all patients regardless of their ability to pay. They offer primary care, mental health, dental care, social work and many other services to patients of all ages and train health students and professionals at all levels.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

Carol Horowitz, M.D., M.P.H. - Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Department of Medicine, Center for Community-Academic Research Partnerships

</p> <h4>KEY PERSONNEL</h4> <p>

Carol Horowitz, M.D., M.P.H., Principal Investigator, Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Department of Medicine, Center for Community-Academic Research Partnerships

Neil Calman, M.D., FAAFP, Site Principal Investigator, President and CEO, The Institute for Family Health

Erwin Bottinger, M.D., Co-Investigator, Professor for Digital Health – Personalized Medicine and Head of Digital Health Center – Hasso Plattner Institute, Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Medicine, Department of Nephrology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences

Bart Ferket, M.D., Ph.D, Co-Investigator, Assistant Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Population Health Science and Policy

Alan Weinberg, Co-Investigator, Associate Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Population Health Science and Policy

Joseph Kannry, M.D., Co-Investigator, Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Medicine, Lead Technical Informaticist, EMR Clinical Transformation Group, Mount Sinai Health System

Patricia Kovatch, Ph.D., Co-Investigator, Senior Associate Dean of Scientific Computing and Data Science, Associate Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Department of Pharmacological Sciences

Ruth Loos, Ph.D., Co-Investigator, Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Charles R. Bronfman Institute of Personalized Medicine

Barbara Murphy, M.D., Co-Investigator, Dean for Clinical Integration and Population Health, Professor and System Chair, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Medicine, Department of Nephrology

Girish Nadkarni, M.D., Co-Investigator, Assistant Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Medicine, Department of Nephrology

Lynne Richardson, M.D., FACEP, Co-Investigator, Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Population Health Science and Policy

Stuart Scott, Ph.D., Co-Investigator, Associate Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences

Randi Zinberg, M.S., Co-Investigator, Assistant Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science

</p> <h4>RELATED EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:</h4> <p>

The Genetics and Data Science (GDS) multidisciplinary training area of the PhD. program in Biomedical Sciences, in conjunction with the Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, offers students educational and research opportunities to both expand on genetic research and the cutting edge of modern genomics as well as the integration of various disciplines of biomedical sciences with machine learning, network modeling, and big data analysis. Genetics and Data Science (GDS) is a multidisciplinary training area of the Ph.D. program in Biomedical Sciences at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Mount Sinai. GDS offers a number of graduate courses in genetics, genomics, genome analysis, and data science. The emphasis is on both the contribution of genetics to human disease and the application of biomedical data science to address disease detection, prediction, and treatment.

The Master of Science Program in Genetic Counseling is sponsored by Icahn School of Medicine’s Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, one of the largest departments of its kind in the world. Our faculty is renowned for cutting edge basic science research, as well as research in the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders. Our large multidisciplinary center provides clinical and laboratory services to a wide range of culturally diverse patients and their families and we have a proven commitment to the community we serve.

The Graduate School offers D., M.D./Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Biomedical Sciences, Public Health, Genetic Counseling and Clinical Research. Ph.D. training is offered in eight multidisciplinary training areas, each of which represents an area of intense focus and growth for our basic science community.

Duke University

Duke Medicine, which includes the Duke University Health System, the Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke University School of Nursing, combines research, clinical care and education at many different sites throughout the region and beyond. Duke University School of Medicine is among the most research-intensive of the U.S. medical schools, and the size, quality and scope of our research enterprise contributes substantially to the reputation of the School of Medicine, Duke University and the Duke University Health System. The entire medical campus encompasses 98 clinical, research and education buildings and employs more than 2,200 academic and clinical faculty physicians and researchers. Twenty-eight buildings on campus are dedicated to School of Medicine research and education.

The Duke Center for Applied Genomics and Precision was created to focus on developing these strategies and capabilities to enhance our ability to diagnose and predict patient outcomes across the continuum from health to disease. The Center aspires to be an intellectual home for genome-inspired biomarker discovery and development and the analytic and translational approaches to diagnostics and insights into disease biology. It is also a home for the rapidly evolving field of precision medicine - an evidence-based approach to the care of people and patients that uses innovative tools and data science to customize disease prevention, detection and treatment and improve the effectiveness and quality of care. The Center is highly interdisciplinary with ties to the health system and to university-wide faculty and students. As a hub and catalyst, the Center maintains strong, clear connections to other translational units at Duke, for example the Clinical and Translational Science Award programs, to help investigators unleash their full translational potential to advance this important area of science.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Lori Orlando, M.D., M.H.S. - Associate Professor of Medicine; Director of the Precision Medicine Program in the Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine

 

</p> <h4>KEY PERSONNEL</h4> <p>

Lori Orlando, M.D., M.H.S., Associate Professor of Medicine; Director of the Precision Medicine Program in the Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine

Geoffrey Ginsburg, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering; Director, Duke Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine and MEDx

Susanne Haga, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Medicine

Nina Sperber, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Population Health Services

Ryanne Wu, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine

Tejinder Rakhra-Burris, M.A., Program Manager, Senior Research Program Leader

Gladwell Mbochi, M.A., Clinical Research Coordinator

Rachel Myers, Ph.D., Research Scientist

Rachel Mills, M.S., C.G.C., Clinical Research Coordinator

Jonas Almeida, Ph.D., Professor, Chief Technology Officer, Graduate Program Director, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University

Deepak Voora, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine

Cherry Beasley, M.D., Anne R. Belk Endowed Professor of Nursing, UNC – Pembroke

Beth Nauman, M.P.H., Ph.D., Director, Health Services Research at Louisiana Public Health Institute

</p> <h4>RELATED EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:</h4> <p>

The Duke Post-Doctoral Training Program in Genomic Medicine Research (T32) provides training in a fast-growing field marked by the advent of new technologies, increased use of clinical genomic medicine, and large-scale federally- and privately-funded research efforts. The objectives of this training program are to provide postdoc trainees didactive training in the methods of clinical research and knowledge relevant to genomic medicine research; co-mentored research experience emphasizing interdisciplinary research; and training and experience to provide the necessary skills to enable the trainee to transition to an independent research program.

The Ph.D. program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics is an integrative, multi-disciplinary Ph.D. program that trains future leaders at the interdisciplinary intersection of quantitative and biomedical sciences. Students are trained to work independently and as part of collaborative teams. They learn to conduct research responsibly, with a commitment to data sharing and reproducible analysis, and they have professional development and teaching opportunities as part of their individual development plans.

The Duke University Program in Genetics and Genomics (UPGG) is an umbrella graduate training program that spans several basic science and clinical departments and bridges the Medical Center and the College of Arts and Sciences. For several decades, UPGG has served as an important forum for genetic training and education in model systems (bacteria, yeast, fungi, drosophila, zebrafish, mouse), population genetics, and human genetics.

The Duke Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), conducted under the auspices of the Duke University Graduate School and the Duke University School of Medicine, trains highly qualified students as physician-scientists, equipping them for solving problems in human disease using the approaches and techniques of the basic biomedical and social sciences. The program, which leads to both the MD and PhD degrees and typically takes seven to eight years for completion, combines graduate education in a basic biomedical science with the full clinical curriculum of the School of Medicine. One of forty-six such programs funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Duke MSTP was the fourth such program established by the NIH in 1966 and is widely regarded as one of the best.

University of Florida (UF)

University of Florida Health is a medical network associated with the University of Florida. UF Health serves 1.5 million patients and is the largest comprehensive academic health center in the Southeastern US. OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium is an enduring infrastructure to conduct patient-centered PCTs across Florida. Combined, the network includes health systems that provide care for approximately 15 million or 75 percent of all Floridians through 4,100 physician providers, 1,240 clinic/practice settings with a catchment area covePring all 67 Florida counties. The Nemours Foundation supports one of the largest integrated pediatric health systems in the U.S., including 50 pediatric subspecialty clinics, 16 partner hospitals, and primary care clinics throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Julie Johnson, PharmD. -Dean and Distinguished Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida

</p> <h4>KEY PERSONNEL</h4> <p>

Sonja Rasmussen, M.D., M.S. — Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida

Rhonda Cooper-DeHoff, PharmD., M.S., FAHA, FACC, FACCP – Associate Professor and University Term Professor, Dept of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research and Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine Associate Director, Center for Pharmacogenomics University of Florida

Alexander Parker, Ph.D. – Senior Associate Dean for Research, University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville

Kathryn Blake, PharmD., BCPS, FCCP, CIP – Director, Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research Chair, Institutional Review Board 2, Principal Research Scientist, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, FL

</p> <h4>RELATED EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:</h4> <p>

The Paradigm Training Program, or the Program for Applied Research and Development in Genomic Medicine, is funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Human Genomic Research Institute and will prepare trainees to be leaders in genomic medicine research and implementation. Trainees will receive didactic training tailored to their needs, extensive mentoring from world-renowned scientists, valuable clinical exposure in multiple areas of genomic medicine and stimulating career development opportunities in a robust, interdisciplinary research environment at UF.

The Graduate Program in Precision Medicine offers a master’s degree and certificate program to train current and future leaders in precision medicine. Student learn the latest in genomic technologies and precision medicine therapies from well-known and highly-regarded experts.

The UF Precision Medicine Conference is an annual conference held in Orlando, Florida. Attendees learn the latest strategies and technologies for brining genomic medicine and pharmacogenomics into the clinic. The conference sessions cover a broad scope of topics encompassing both genomic medicine and pharmacogenomics and include high-level keynote addresses from world-renowned innovators and thought leaders in genomic medicine, TED-style talks, interactive panel and patient case discussions, and a peer-reviewed submitted poster session.

Vanderbilt Clinical Group

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is a comprehensive healthcare facility dedicated to patient care, research, and the education of healthcare professionals. For decades, VUMC has been at the forefront of pharmacogenomic discovery and its translation into clinical practice. In 2010, VUMC launched PREDICT (the Pharmacogenomic Resource for Enhanced Decisions in Care & Treatment) to empower providers and patients with the genetic information and electronic medical record tools to facilitate genetically-informed clinical decision-making at the point of care. Additionally, VUMC led the implementation of pharmacogenomic testing in several community and academic settings including Meharry Medical Center, Aurora Health System, and Sanford Medical Center during IGNITE I.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Josh F. Peterson, M.D., M.P.H. – Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine

Josh C. Denny, M.D., M.S. - Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine; Director of Center for Precision Medicine

</p> <h4>KEY PERSONNEL:</h4> <p>
\

Josh F. Peterson, M.D., M.P.H. – Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine

Josh C. Denny, M.D., M.S. – Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine; Director of Center for Precision Medicine

Dan Roden, M.D. – Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology, and Biomedical Informatics; Senior VP for Personalized Medicine

Andrea H. Ramirez, M.D., MSCI – Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism

Sara Van Driest, M.D., Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Jonathan S. Schildcrout, Ph.D. – Professor of Biostatistics

Kerri L. Cavanaugh, M.D., M.H.S. – Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension

Asli Weitkamp, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics; Director, Clinical Decision Support and Knowledge Engineering

</p> <h4>RELATED EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:</h4> <p>

The Vanderbilt Genomic Medicine (VGM) training program offers postdoctoral fellowships with a focus on pharmagogenomics, precision phenotyping, medical informatics, and disease-based genomics.

The Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe) offers training opportunities in the field of privacy and identity in genomic data. Major research goals of GetPreSiCe include understanding the impact of threat to privacy and identity in genomic data, measure the efficacy of efforts to protect privacy and identity, develop models to quantify risk of genomic data re-identification, and to develop interventions and policy solution.

The Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) offers MS and PhD programs in a wide variety of fields computational biology and bioinformatics to advanced clinical information systems and data science. Additionally, the PhD Program offers a Big Biomedical Data Science (BIDS) training program that provides access to real biomedical data sets, and software tools/applications at VUMC.