Speaker Profile
M.D., Cardiologist, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Associate Professor of Medicine, Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine, Duke University
Biography
His research focuses on the discovery and translation of pharmacogenomic biomarkers to address the hypothesis that tailoring drug therapy on the basis of genomic information can improve health outcomes. He has chosen some of the most commonly used medications used worldwide – antiplatelet and statin medications – for his research. As Director of the VA PHarmacogenomics Action for cancer SuRvivorship(PHASeR) program, he is leading the VA’s implementation of pre-emptive, panel-based, pharmacogenetic testing to up to 250,000 Veterans.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2020 Silicon Valley
Polygenic (based on multiple genes/DNA variants) predictions for disease risk and drug response are at the forefront of recent regulatory challenges in precision medicine. Challenges in deployment range from their increased complexity, their clinical actionability, and ethical challenges when a large portion of the input data come from biased subpopulations.
