Welcome to the fourth annual report for the Alabama Genomic Health Initiative ( AGHI ). The University of Alabama at Birmingham ( UAB ), in partnership with HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology , launched the AGHI in 2017 to better meet health needs across the state of Alabama .
The year 2020 will be remembered for its challenges , tragedies , and resiliency as we faced a global pandemic and division in our nation . Like many research projects , AGHI paused enrollment in early 2020 , providing an opportunity for reflection and innovation . Embedded in the foundation of the AGHI is the commitment to increase understanding of the historic health disparities and barriers to health care that exist due to systemic racism in our state and nation . With increased understanding comes the ability to eradicate the inequalities that continue to challenge our ability to improve health care for residents in Alabama ’ s diverse communities .
What you will read in this annual report highlights our efforts to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and increase the potential value of the Alabama Genomic Health Initiative for communities within our state by directly engaging clinicians in family medicine . This is a critical step in developing a truly genomic-ready workforce , one that is poised to improve understanding of each patient ’ s unique genetic code . This code provides a road map forward for Alabama clinicians to improve preventive care , armed with the knowledge of known disease risks and the ability to make more tailored drug therapy decisions based on patient profiles . In addition to our planned clinical enrollment strategy , a robust data repository is now established , made possible by the contributions of over 6,500 AGHI participants . Biomedical researchers can now utilize cutting-edge science to improve understanding and delivery of health care .
We are honored to share our efforts from 2020 toward continued advanced scientific understanding of how genes play a role in health and disease . We are excited about our bold plan for increasing opportunities to add genomic medicine ’ s value to the standard of care for Alabama ’ s residents , empowering clinicians with the tools to improve health care in their communities .
UAB and HudsonAlpha continue to position the state of Alabama as a leader on the forefront of 21st century medicine .
Thank you for your continued interest in the Alabama Genomic Health Initiative .
Sincerely ,
Bruce R . Korf , MD , PhD
Chief Genomics Officer , UAB Medicine Co-Director , AGHI
Greg Barsh , MD , PhD
Faculty Investigator , HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Co-Director , AGHI
Nita Limdi , PharmD , PhD
Professor of Neurology and Epidemiology , UAB Medicine Co-Director , AGHI
Matthew Might , PhD
Director , UAB Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute Co-Director , AGHI