Know of potential funding sources or opportunities?
The Global Genomic Medicine Collaborative (GGMC) announced a significant leadership transition at the end of June. After dedicated service to our organization, Tejinder “Teji” K. Rakhra-Burris, our esteemed President & CEO, has stepped down from her role to embark on new endeavors. We are pleased to announce Grant Wood, a highly accomplished leader in technology and genomics, has assumed the role of CEO effective July 1, 2024.
“I am honored and energized to lead GGMC into its next chapter,” said Wood. “I believe that genomics holds the key to transforming healthcare, and GGMC is uniquely positioned to drive that transformation. I look forward to working with the talented team at GGMC and our partners around the world to advance our mission and make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Wood brings a wealth of experience to GGMC, having served on numerous committees and leading key initiatives since 2014. He has a deep understanding of the organization and a strong vision for its future.
“Grant’s expertise, passion, and collaborative spirit make him an excellent choice to lead GGMC,” said Vajira Dissanayake, GGMC Chair & President. “We are confident that he will build on our legacy of excellence and drive us forward.”
Honoring Teji K. Rakhra-Burris
The GGMC community also extends its deepest gratitude to outgoing CEO Teji K. Rakhra-Burris for her transformative leadership. During her tenure, GGMC has experienced significant growth and made important strides in advancing genomic medicine globally.
“It has been a privilege to serve as CEO of GGMC,” said Rakhra-Burris. “I am proud to have worked with such a dedicated team to build a strong foundation that enabled what we have accomplished together. I am confident that GGMC will continue to thrive under Grant’s leadership.”
Rakhra-Burris’s vision and dedication have helped GGMC expand its reach, establish new partnerships, and advance its mission to improve global health through genomic medicine. She will be missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire and guide GGMC’s work.
A Bright Future
As GGMC embarks on this new chapter, we are filled with excitement and optimism for the future. With Grant Wood at the helm, we are confident that GGMC will continue to lead the way in advancing genomic medicine and improving human health.
About Grant Wood
Grant Wood is an executive technologist with extensive experience in designing and developing innovative healthcare systems, with a focus on precision medicine. He has been an active member of GGMC since 2014, serving on numerous committees and leading key initiatives. Wood is also involved in several other prominent organizations in the technology and genomics space, including Health Level 7 International (HL7), Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH), AlphaNet, CDC National Family Health History Group, and other various projects in the field of clinical genomics implementation and innovation.
About GGMC
The Global Genomic Medicine Collaborative (GGMC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing genomic medicine globally. GGMC works with partners around the world to accelerate the translation of genomic research into clinical practice, improve patient care, and reduce health disparities.
Please join us in welcoming Grant Wood as our new CEO and thanking Teji K. Rakhra-Burris for her outstanding service to GGMC. We look forward to a bright future together.
G2MC is committed to fostering the growth of Early Career Investigators (ECIs) in the field of genomic medicine through mentorship, involvement in G2MC initiatives, and dedicated ECI forums at our international conferences.
For this edition of our Early Career Investigator (ECI) Series, we’re speaking with Dr. Emma Magavern, a physician specializing in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and General Internal Medicine. Recently, she’s been appointed as a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Academic Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. Dr. Magavern’s research focuses on pharmacogenomics, specifically how genetics impact medication safety and efficacy, and she is an active member of the G2MC Family Health History Flagship Project. Continue reading to learn more about Dr. Magavern’s work and her insights on the integration of pharmacogenomics with family health history.
We are thrilled to share that the G2MC 8th International Conference will be held in the vibrant city of Colombo, Sri Lanka, from March 31-April 3, 2025, and will be hosted by the University of Colombo. As genomic medicine transitions from research discoveries to clinical applications, this conference aims to bring together key stakeholders from around the world to address the challenges and opportunities of integrating these advancements into diverse healthcare systems.
Join us in beautiful Sri Lanka and become a driving force in shaping the future of global health through collaboration and innovation in genomic medicine. Registration details will be announced soon, so stay tuned!
The conference will focus on best practices in genomic medicine, with special emphasis on implementation in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), workforce training and development, rare diseases, and pharmacogenomics. Through a combination of pre-conference workshops, a dedicated Early Career Investigator (ECI) Forum, G2MC Working Group and Flagship Project activities, and expert sessions with panel discussions, attendees will have the opportunity to share knowledge, collaborate, and drive the successful implementation of genomic medicine worldwide.
We extend our sincere gratitude to conference co-chairs, Profs. Vajira Dissanayake and George Patrinos, and the G2MC Secretariat for their dedication and hard work in organizing this important event.
Sponsorship Opportunities
If you or your organization is interested in supporting this groundbreaking conference and contributing to the advancement of global genomic medicine, we invite you to contact us for sponsorship opportunities.
For more information about the conference, visit the event page below.
The GGMC Secretariat recently convened in Durham, NC, USA, for a strategic planning meeting to address the organization’s current activities, future initiatives, and most importantly, the urgent need for funding to sustain its groundbreaking work in genomic medicine. During the meeting, the Secretariat discussed strategies to bridge the current financial gap, including seeking support from GGMC members and the wider community. Read on to learn more about the outcome of the meeting and discover how you can contribute to the future of genomic medicine by supporting GGMC’s vital work.
The GGMC Development Committee is requesting for G2MC members to share potential funding opportunities and sources applicable to the implementation of genomic medicine. These will be posted on our website and shared in our newsletters and social media channels, with the goal of allowing other members the opportunity to consider collaborative proposals to answer them. Visit our Funding and Grants webpage to view the current list and to submit opportunities and sources to be posted and shared.
If you are interested in being a part of any of the following initiatives, please fill out the form below and we’ll get in touch!
The G2MC Family Health History (FHH) Flagship Project team is actively working on implementing FHH in clinical practice. Recent efforts include seeking funding for a manuscript detailing an 11-step process for implementing FHH in clinical practice, while continuing work on each of the steps. The team is also exploring the role of FHH in addressing hemoglobinopathies, working with the Global Globin Network (GGN) to advance their efforts. Additionally, they are creating an FHH algorithm database repository as a pilot of the G2MC Resource Center, and are continuing to collaborate with groups outside of the organization that share similar goals. Continue reading to learn about the group’s progress and how to get involved.
Family medical history has proven indispensable in understanding rare diseases and informing clinical assessments for common conditions like coronary artery disease. Similarly, family history has been pivotal in elucidating genetic contributions to severe adverse drug reactions (ADRs). However, there remains a gap in integrating medication response phenotypes with family health history. The G2MC Family Health History (FHH) Flagship Project group aims to bridge this gap by establishing a subgroup focused on integrating pharmacogenomics (PGx) with family health history. Continue reading to learn more about the goals of the new subgroup and how you can get involved.
Calling all G2MC members. Participate in the Resource Center (RC) crowdsourcing initiative to identify existing online resources including clinical tools, guidelines and policies, and education and training materials related to genomic medicine. These resources will be accessible in the G2MC Resource Center platform, which is under development. Your contributions will ensure the Resource Center is comprehensive in its coverage, providing a valuable resource for members.
If you have developed, reviewed, or used any of these types of resources, please add the details to the appropriate Google Sheets, labeled “data repository” linked to in this Google Document. This should only take a few minutes of your time and will be a valuable contribution to the G2MC Resource Center!
We are internally working on a members-only portal that will incorporate all G2MC membership benefits into one platform. Stay tuned for an exciting upcoming announcement!
Do you need support to implement or grow your genomic implementation project? The new initiative called Project Navigator and Support Network is coming soon!
Does your research or practice focus on epilepsy? This may be of interest to you. The Rare Diseases Flagship Project group is preparing a new initiative called Epilepsy Forum. More details soon!
Interested in getting involved with any of the above initiatives? Fill out the Join Us/Get Involved Form and build the future of genomic medicine implementation with us!
The Global Breast Cancer Conference (GBCC) 2024 Scholarship was awarded to Professor Nirmala Sirisena in the Department of Anatomy, Genetics & Biomedical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka for outstanding abstract presentation at the Global Breast Cancer Conference 2024 held on April 25 – 27, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea for the paper titled “Spectrum of BRCA1/2 variants in Sri Lankan families with hereditary breast cancer: Insights from a decade-long, single-center study”. Professor Sirisena, a member of the G2MC leadership team, was one among only 10 recipients of the award from among 327 papers presented at the conference. Professor Vajira H. W. Dissanayake, also a member of the G2MC leadership team, is a co-author of the paper.
Join the team at Wellcome Connecting Science for a free online course Interpreting Genomic Variation: Overcoming Challenges in Diverse Populations. Led by experts in the field, this three-week course provides training on classifying and interpreting genomic variants using the latest tools and technologies. Researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals will gain valuable skills in genomic variant analysis, which can be applied in biological and clinical contexts. Click below for more information and enrollment details.
G2MC members Claudia Gonzaga-Jauregui, PhD (Mexico), Peter Goodhand (Canada), and Gabriela Repetto, MD (Chile), participated in the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) regional consultation on genomics that took place in Brasilia on May 15 and 16. This meeting had over 100 participants from the Americas, and was aimed at disseminating the recent World Health Organization (WHO) Science Council report on Accelerating Access to Genomics for Global Health, gathering information about the current status and gaps in genomics research and health implementation in the region, and generating partnerships to advance in the area. Click below for more information about the meeting.
Register Now! The International Health Cohorts Consortium (IHCC) is excited to hold its 6th international conference as a joint meeting with Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE) on August 21-23, 2024 in Singapore. The conference, themed From Cohorts to Clinics: The New Landscape of Global Healthcare, seeks to address challenges and opportunities in translating advances in precision medicine into tangible enhancements in patient care and reshape the landscape of modern healthcare. It also aims to catalyze and promote cross-population cohort research and design cross-cohort pilot projects to address various global challenges.
Mark your calendars for the 2nd Congress of Rare and Uncommon Diseases of the Caribbean and Latin America (CEPCAL 2024), taking place October 16-18, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. This event will bring together patients, advocates, healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the rare disease community in the region. Don’t miss this chance to connect with others, learn from international experts, and make a difference.
Mark your calendars for the 1st Latin American Congress on Genetic Epilepsies, a pivotal event set to take place January 8-10, 2025, in Santiago, Chile. The congress aims to raise awareness, educate, and provide updates on genetic epilepsies from scientific, clinical, familial, and industry perspectives. Neurologists, clinical geneticists, bioinformaticians, molecular biologists, medical students, patient families, family foundations, and all professionals interested in understanding genetic epilepsies are encouraged to attend. Stay tuned for registration and program details!
Join us each month for the Global Genomic Medicine Collaborative (GGMC) Educational Webinar Series. This series brings together leaders, educators, researchers, and professionals with all levels of expertise to share health sciences initiatives taking place in their respective fields and countries. Each month’s webinar will feature new guest speakers offering novel insights into their fields.
Ranasinghe, P., Sirisena, N., Vishnukanthan, T. et al. Frequency of pharmacogenomic variants affecting efficacy and safety of anti-cancer drugs in a south Asian population from Sri Lanka. BMC Med Genomics 17, 143 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12920-024-01919-2
Brito F, Lagos C, Cubillos J, Orellana J, Gajardo M, Böhme D, Encina G and Repetto GM (2024) Genomic analysis in Chilean patients with suspected Rett syndrome: keep a broad differential diagnosis. Front. Genet. 15:1278198. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1278198
G2MC is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) (tax-exempt in the U.S.) organization. Sponsorships and donations to help support our mission are greatly appreciated.
Interested in becoming a member of G2MC? Our community is comprised of health professionals, scientists, and policy makers in over 35 countries. We collaborate to demonstrate the value and the effective use of genomics in medicine. Join us to share and learn best practices.
