Department of Medical Genetics (and Genomic Medicine)
Vision and Future Directions
The field of Medical Genetics has undergone an exciting transformation over the past decade, in part fuelled by the completion of the Human Genome Project and advances in genomic technologies. Experts have ranked “Human genome discoveries reach[ing] the bedside” as the most important medical advance of the 21st Century (MedPageToday.com). Genetics and genomics now play an important role in the biomedical research enterprise of the University of Calgary that spans well beyond the academic Department of Medical Genetics. Advances in clinical genetics, pharmacogenetics and genomic technologies are ushering in an era of genomic or personalized medicine which will require focused leadership and direction in order to successfully translate these novel findings and technologies into clinical care.
“We should remain unabashed about the ultimate impact of genomic medicine, which will be to transform the health of our children and our children’s children.” Eric Ladner, 2011, Nature 470:187-197
Importance to the University Community and Health Services
Genes and genomics are an abiding interest of numerous research endeavours across the University as well as for Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW) as articulated in the “Alberta’s Health Research and Innovation Strategy” (August 2010). Virtually every Institute within the Faculty of Medicine conducts research that depends on knowledge of genes and their action as related to child and maternal health, neurological disorders, infection, immunity and inflammation, bone and joint health, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer. Other University faculties, including the Faculties of Science and Kinesiology, depend on genetics and genetic tools in their academic activities. The Department of Medical Genetics, in exploiting genetics and genomics in the interest of research and patient care, acts as a focal point for drawing together and integrating basic and clinical genetic research conducted across the University and, indeed, serves as a hub for health care research and delivery across the province. The Department of Medical Genetics has a responsibility to inform AHW priorities and steward the implementation of ‘personalized medicine’ for Albertans.
VISION: To be an international leader in Genetic Medicine through commitment to excellence in basic and clinical research, clinical practice, laboratory diagnostics and teaching future scientists and clinicians. MISSION: Broadly, the mission of our Department, encompassing research and education, is to serve as a hub for drawing together and integrating basic and clinical genetic efforts conducted across the University, Faculty of Medicine Research Institutes and healthcare through Alberta Health Services. SCIENCE: To develop a nationally and internationally recognized research enterprise in basic, translational and clinical human genetics research.
Building on existing strengths, The Department of Medical Genetics is committed to securing the best new scientists and setting its sights on new research opportunities. Genetics is not merely a set of tools but a coherent and productive way of thinking about biology and medicine utilizing a spectrum of approaches based on molecules, organisms, populations, and genomes.
The Department will lead the development of critical partnerships with Faculty (Departments and Institutes) as well as non-Faculty partners (including Alberta Health Services, Alberta Health and Wellness, Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, Alberta Innovates Technology Solutions, Genome Alberta, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation) in order to leverage and coordinate the collective interest in genomics of these groups. The Department will pursue excellence in research to understand the genetic basis of health and drive those research findings in a bidirectional model in order to:
· translate these findings into clinical care by improving and expanding diagnostic capabilities and developing novel therapeutics (translational) and to
· explore the most fundamental processes of developmental biology, metabolism, and disease pathogenesis (basic).
HEALTH: To provide, in collaboration with AHS, clinical genetics and laboratory services with the highest quality of care that spans the full age continuum from conception and prenatal care to adulthood.
Key to providing and developing the highest quality care programs for patients and their families, is a clinical team committed to and closely affiliated with an academic Department of Medical Genetics. This relationship will ensure that human genetics research incorporates not only the study of the genetic basis of disorders, but also the diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of personalized medicine and pharmacogenetics as well as the ethical, legal and social implications of genomics medicine and research. The Department of Medical genetics will drive the development of a coordinated Calgary zone “Genetics and Genomic Medicine Program” by creating an academic home to facilitate close affiliation between clinical and diagnostic laboratory geneticists. This model could eventually be applied to an Alberta-wide provincial program.
EDUCATION: PreparingAlberta’s physicians and health researchers for tomorrowby providing excellence in teaching medical genetics at all levels of the Faculty educational mandate.
The Department of Medical Genetics educates BHSc to graduate science students through advanced courses in human genetics, genes and development and genomics. Through a Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) funded training program, our graduate students pursue research training within the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI) theme oftheMolecular and Genetic Basis of Child Health.
The Department is home to two nationally accredited post-graduate clinical training programs: The RCPSC 5-year residency in Medical Genetics and the Canadian College of Medical Genetics Fellowship in Clinical Genetics, Cytogenetics, Molecular Genetics and Biochemical Genetics streams.
The Department is committed to ensuring the undergraduate medical curriculum provides future physicians with the necessary tools, knowledge and context to help them be partners in the emerging world of genomic care. Expansion of the postgraduate clinical education curriculum is required in order to train other specialty residents and fellows through medical genetics rotations in areas such as cancer genetics, cardio genetics and neuro genetics.
PRIORITIES: Consistent with our Vision to position the University of Calgary as an internationally recognized centre for genetics research and clinical and diagnostic genetic services, the Department requires growth and development of its leadership, technology base, clinical expertise, and depth of research.
PEOPLE: The top and immediate priority is recruitment of a Department Chair with vision and leadership capability across the academic mission. In addition to leadership, the Department requires expansion of its research and technological base through recruitment of the best new scientists in specific areas, including bioinformatics, metabolism, and genomics. By setting its sights on new research opportunities, the Department, in collaboration with ACHRI as well as with other Department and Institure partners, can successfully meet its research mandate. An aggressive, but thrifty recruitment plan (appendix A) outlines a five year human resource investment for the Department.
PARTNERS: The Department looks to the establishment of interdisciplinary, cross-Faculty initiatives in genetics and genomics, in part to support its development as well as to focus the importance of genomics in the University and Faculty of Medicine through incorporation in strategic priorities. These linkages are designed to assure that the Department can lead and, indeed, succeed as an internationally recognized group of scholars and programs. The Department needs to position itself to take a leadership role in the development of the genetics enterprise of the University, to aid colleagues in exploiting the new technologies of genomics, and to be a source of expertise and collaboration in genetics research, education and patient care across the spectrum of sciences that embrace genetic principles. As outlined above engagement of non-Faculty partners (AHS, AHW, AIHS, AITS, Genome Alberta, ACHRF, etc) is also crucial to the growth and success of the Department. INFRASTRUCTURE: A key success factor is the solidification of Faculty and Institutes support for infrastracture. In order to attract the best possible Department Chair and new scientists, adequate resources including office and research space, equipment, and start up funds for young investigatiors will be required. Since the “Molecular and Genetic Basis of Child Health” is a major theme within ACHRI, this has served as a key home for many Department members. As such, we have developed a collaborative Vision for the development of a “bench to bedside” genetic research focus for child and maternal health (see White Paper on Alberta Genomics: moving from genomes to personalized medicine). ACHRI has committed to support recruitment to genetics and genomics positions, including within Medical Genetics. The recruitment plan (appendix) identifies the ACHRI commitment to start up funds and space in support of the Department. However, depending on the research focus of the scientific recruits, other Institutes may be involved in joint recruitments and provision of infrastructure. In addition, the development of Next Generation sequencing capacity, (which is also supported by ACHRI) must be broadly supported in the Faculty and translation into the clinical diagnostic setting must be advocated to AHS at all levels. |
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