By KELLI MURRAY, MedSpeaks
The National Institute of Health (NIH) recently launched a pilot-project called All Of Us that will collect and study the genetic, lifestyle, and environmental data of 1 Million people. The objective is to answer the question, "Why me?" when it comes to disease. Scientists of the study will be looking for patterns and combinations of factors that increase risks for certain diseases (beyond cancer) with the ultimate goal of providing personalized forecasting and care treatment.
Eric Dishman, a former Intel executive and survivor of a rare kidney cancer, is leading this project with what is expected to be the largest database of its kind. His personal aim is to widen a patient's access to the types of precision medicine that saved his life.
As reported by the Associate Press, according to Dr. Francis Collins, director of the NIH, "The DNA is almost the easiest part." However, he adds that the greatest challenge is, "figuring out how to put all that (DNA information) together to allow somebody to have a more precise sense of future risk of illness and what they might do about it." This invitation-only study will follow participants over 10 years and involves the capture of standard health and medical record data, DNA profiles, and intends to include wearable sensors to track vital signs and environmental exposure, such as air quality.
The observational research study is not just unique in size and scope. Its goal is to enroll people across ethnicities, socioeconomic status, and geographies; particularly for those who have been historically underrepresented in research. Additionally, unlike traditional study models, the data and various testing results will be made available to participants who can then share their information with their providers. Data sharing is a key element to NIH's mission to speed up health research breakthroughs for all of us and gives new meaning to being called "one in a million."
To learn more visit: www.joinallofus.org.
Featured Innovations
SynDaver Labs - Founded by Dr. Christopher Sakezles, these award-winning synthetic cadavers replicate real human and animal tissue and bodily functions like breathing, bleeding, blinking, and moving limbs. The products replace the need for human
cadavers and live animal testing. Practical applications include medical device studies, surgical simulation and clinical training, as well as for developing military weapons and armor systems. The level of detail is so specific that it can emulate validated pathologies such as scar tissue, tumors, and vascular plaques. www.syndaver.com
DispatchHealth - 2017 Winner of Florida Hospital's InnovationX Competition- Denver-based Co-founder and CEO Mark Prather MD, MBA, pitched his team's on-demand triage and urgent care solution that provides advanced medical care in the home and workplace, as well as care navigation via phone and telemedicine consultations. DispatchHealth partners with employers, SNFs, ACOs, and hospital systems to provide the appropriate level of care for a given disease process to reduce costs for emergency departments. The platform is not yet available in Orlando but given the new relationship with Adventist Health System, it may not be long before it arrives. www.dispatchhealth.com
Senscio Systems - Physicist and CEO, Dr. Piali De, co-founded this AI-Driven hometo-clinic population health system to personalize care for chronically ill and at-risk populations. The robust digital platform allows patients to actively engage in self management while artificial intelligence (AI) processes data and monitors changes in behaviors and vitals that call for care team intervention. In 2016, the company participated in a HealthBox accelerator program at GuideWell Innovation in Lake Nona, Florida. Since then, Senscio was named one of the "10 Most Promising Population Health Management Solution Providers - 2017" by "Healthcare Tech Outlook" magazine. www.sensciosystems.com
Disclosure: Readers, please take note that the companies featured in the Health Innovators section have not paid for or bartered for these acknowledgements. All companies are selected based on merit, intrigue, and their potential to move healthcare forward towards the Quadruple Aim. In a noisy and biased market, we believe this to be a valuable distinction.
Get Involved
Orlando Tech Week | October 6-14 Theme: Smart Cities, Health & Wellness www.orlandotechweek.com
Health+Accel | November 3, 2017 | Orlando, FL
Theme: Aging Well Innovations www.guidewellinnovation.com/health-accel-rsvp
Health Innovators | Monthly | Orlando, FL Theme: Healthcare Challenges & Emerging Solutions www.meetup.com/FLHealth
MeGa Jam | February 2018 | Orlando, FL Theme: Medical & Gaming Hackathon Mark your calendar, details coming soon!
Put Gamers to the Test!
Put gamers, geeks, and artists to the ultimate "test" by submitting challenges and/or ideas to engage patients. The best ideas will be pitched at Florida's first MeGa Jam event which will converge medicine with video gaming technologies to create MEDICAL GAMES! kelli@medspeaks.com
