New York Genome Center at a Glance
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NEW YORK GENOME CENTER AT A GLANCE OVERVIEW The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is at the forefront of transforming biomedical research and clinical care with the mission of saving lives. Founded in 2011 and officially opened in September 2013 as a consortium of renowned academic, medical and industry leaders across the globe, NYGC is a 501(c)(3) charity that focuses on translating genomic research into clinical solutions for serious disease. Our member organizations are united in this unprecedented collaboration of technology, science and medicine. OUR MISSION We implement advanced genomic research and integrate our findings with world-class technologies and physician-scientists in order to help solve diseases. We harness the diversity of New York’s institutions and people to drive scientific discoveries that will vastly improve clinical care – ethically, equitably and urgently. We advocate and educate, sharing our findings with the global scientific, medical and thought leadership communities to broaden the reach of the New York Genome Center to help patients in every corner of the world. We create synergies through collaboration to continually innovate and advance our vision. CORE ACTIVITIES Our capacities and expertise reflect our commitment to being a vital resource – and driver – for the advancement of translational genomics. Our current core activity areas are: Sequencing and Bioinformatics Services We work with both our Member Institutions and the genomics research community at large to provide best-in-class technology and expertise to advance scientific breakthroughs. NYGC’s services include experimental design assistance, sample library preparation and sequencing (whole genome, exome, RNA, and lane sequencing), extensive data quality control, bioinformatics, and data storage. NYGC is the only institution in the Tri-State Area to acquire the Illumina HiSeq X Ten, the fastest and most advanced sequencing technology available. Through a Services Access Agreement, we also offer genomic sequencing and informatics services to Investigators and Scientists affiliated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Clinical Laboratory NYGC has established a Clinical Laboratory, which is offering Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based exome testing for constitutional disorders and is in the process of getting NY State approval to offer cancer testing and whole genome clinical sequencing. NYGC’s diagnostic services are accessible to physicians on behalf of their patients. WINTER 2016 Research As well as providing services and analysis, NYGC moves the clinical genomics needle forward through innovative research and methods development and improvement. Our Faculty Members include one Nobel Laureate and four members of the National Academy of Sciences, and each hold joint academic appointments at one of our Institutional Founding Members (IFMs). They lead clinically-focused genomic studies in a variety of areas, including cancer, neurologic disease (including autism, schizophrenia and neurodegenerative disease), inflammatory disease, epigenetics, population genomics, evolutionary mechanisms and disease risk, single cell genomics. NYGC also has an Innovation Lab dedicated to protocol development, technologic innovation, informatics tool development and integration. NYGC has spearheaded several collaborative clinical studies. We launched a multi-institutional trial in which we are partnering with IBM to explore whether their Watson artificial intelligence technology can help create personalized treatments for patients with glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. We are currently expanding this effort to include other cancers, in part by pursuing additional pharmaceutical, technology and related industry partnerships in addition to our relationship with IBM, our Founding Technology Member. NYGC has also begun a range of other clinical genomic studies, including those focused on pediatric cancers (leukemia and neuroblastoma), inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and asthma), and neurologic disease. Our Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease (CGND) is dedicated to studying neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s. The CGND’s collaborating partners include our own IFMs, the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the Northeast ALS Consortium, Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and UMass Medical School. The CGND is also supported by an NYGC-organized group, the Northeast Neurologists Genomics Group, comprised of Chairs of Clinical Neurology across the tri-state area. Collaborative Infrastructure Development NYGC is committed to developing the systems and infrastructure to enable researchers from New York and beyond to carry out large-scale, collaborative genomics research. In January 2016 the NIH announced that NYGC was awarded a $40 million grant for support of a Center for Common Genetic Diseases. This highly competitive award serves as a benchmark for NYGC; the major US genome centers were all in the applicant pool. Due to its relative newness, NYGC underwent intense scrutiny during its review, including site visits at NYGC and at the NIH, as well as a personal tour of NYGC by Francis Collins, the NIH Director. The grant will support high quality and scalable genomics infrastructure, and efforts to identify all DNA variants associated with common diseases such as autism. NYGC also was awarded, along with a consortium of 10 medical institutions, a PCORI (Patient- Centered Outcomes Research Institute) contract. The contract supports building infrastructure to centralize clinical data across a number of hospitals and care providers, with the goal of enabling research and analysis that will provide evidence-based information that patients and providers can use to make better-informed care decisions. The New York City Clinical Data Research Network (NYC-CDRN) will bring together organizations across seven systems, and include comprehensive and longitudinal data for at least 2.5 million patients, and potentially as many as 6 million patients. WINTER 2016 2 Beyond PCORI, our bioinformaticians and engineers are engaged in a number of projects, including developing warehouses for genomics datasets and their analyses, with the goal of increasing efficiencies, scale and knowledge access for scientists, while reducing potential costs of and roadblocks to innovative research. Education and Outreach NYGC hosts two independent lecture series. Our Five Points Lectures are technically detailed weekly talks that bring together scientists from New York and beyond to discuss their work, in depth, with researchers, clinicians and students. Evening Talks is a monthly event that is open to the general public and is intended for a broader audience. Leading genomics researchers and theorists discuss recent discoveries, emerging techniques, bioethics, opportunities and challenges. Both series are free to participants. We also hold a number of scientific events and workshops in partnership with our Member Institutions and other organizations. Upcoming events can be viewed on our website. Funding Financial support from individuals and organizations who are committed to NYGC’s vision has been integral to the Center’s early success and growth. Since its inception, NYGC has raised over $200 million from a number of sources, including federal and private grants, corporate and philanthropic support, and other funding, including support from our member institutions, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Empire State Development Corporation, the Partnership Fund for New York City, and the State of New York. In spring 2014, the New York State Legislature approved $105 million in funding to advance genomic medicine through a partnership between the University at Buffalo and NYGC. As part of this initiative, NYGC is receiving $55.75 million from the State and has matched it dollar for dollar with funds raised separately. In December 2015, NYGC received a challenge grant of $100 million from the Simons Foundation and The Carson Family Charitable Trust. They will match every philanthropic dollar raised over the next three years up to $100 million; at the end of a successful challenge, dollars raised will total $200 million. LEADERSHIP Robert Darnell, MD, PhD, Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Darnell’s career in neurology and genomics spans over 25 years and includes his roles as the Heilbrunn Professor at The Rockefeller University and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Darnell is a Senior Physician at The Rockefeller University Hospital as well as an Adjunct Attending Neuro-Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2014 and has been a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences since 2010. Cheryl A. Moore, President and Chief Operating Officer A highly esteemed and nationally recognized research executive, Cheryl Moore joined NYGC in January 2016. Ms. Moore spent over ten years with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) where she was most recently the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for five years, and previously Chief Operating Officer of HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus. Prior to joining HHMI, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla, California. WINTER 2016 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Russell L. Carson NYGC Board