Intermountain, Stanford forge clinical genomics and precision medicine partnership
Researchers aim to develop new technologies to solve pressing issues in healthcare.

Intermountain Healthcare and the Stanford Genome Technology Center will work together on research aimed at developing advances in precision health.

Comprising the team of researchers, clinicians and other experts are members of the Stanford Genome Technology Center based in Palo Alto, California, and Intermountain's Precision Genomics Core Laboratory, based in St. George, Utah.
 
Together, they will focus on identifying novel biomarkers using an advanced array of technologies developed at SGTC, and with an emphasis on solving clinical issues for patients.

One of the key objectives in the collaboration is to determine the clinical benefits associated with applying molecular analysis to patient care.

As Lincoln Nadauld, MD, executive director of precision medicine and precision genomics at Intermountain, sees it, the initiative will lead to the development of new technology to address critical medical questions, offering the chance to "conduct clinical population-based studies that will accelerate adoption of precision health."

The collaboration is part of a partnership announced earlier this year between Intermountain Healthcare and Stanford Medicine to support revolutionary projects in research, patient care and medical education.

"This research partnership has the potential for a direct and very positive impact on our ability to extend the lives and improve the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer among other health issues," Terri Kane, vice president of Intermountain Healthcare's Southwest Region, said in a news release.

"Conducting our studies in collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare will enable our joint team to address more ambitious clinical research questions on a much broader scale," added Hanlee Ji, MD, senior associate director of SGTC and an associate professor at the Stanford School of Medicine's Division of Oncology.