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April 19, 2005 Pharmacogenomics — GW Takes the Lead in Personalized Medicine By Jamie L. Freedman Anyone who’s ever taken prescription medication knows that one drug does not fit all. Adverse reactions hospitalize millions each year, while so-called “miracle” drugs for some yield little or no benefit for others. The days of matching patients with the right drugs through trial-and-error will soon be history, thanks to the revolutionary new field of pharmacogenomics — the study of how genetic variations affect the ways in which people respond to drugs. GW is leading the way in the rapidly evolving discipline, teaming up with Winchester, VA-based Shenandoah University to offer the nation’s first undergraduate program in pharmacogenomics, debuting this fall. Combining the expertise of GW, with its renowned medical school and strength in the basic sciences, with the of Shenandoah and its highly regarded school of pharmacy, the pioneering enterprise provides an academic solution to an exploding need in the marketplace. “This new program involves the unique contributions of two dynamic educational institutions and is designed to create a solution to an existing and growing challenge of creating highly skilled workers in the emerging field of pharmacogenomics,” says GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. Shenandoah President James A. Davis concurs, stating, “Our mission is to offer a world-class education and develop a clear career pathway so students may enter this fast-growing field at multiple levels and with varying degrees of sophistication.” Falling under the umbrella of personalized medicine, pharmacogenomics is the intersection of pharmacology and genetics. The cornerstones of this fast-growing field are tailoring drug therapies to individual patients based on their genetic makeup and predicting drug responses in patients, including the possibility of life-threatening side effects, via genetic testing. Another exciting feature of pharmacogenomics is the potential to predict and prevent impending diseases before symptoms begin through targeted drug interventions. “Pharmacogenomics is going to revolutionize the way we practice medicine,” says Allan Goldstein, chair of GW’s department of biochemistry and molecular biology. “In the near future, we’ll all carry around a chip the size of a credit card containing our individual human genome, and when we go to the doctor’s office, they’ll plug it into a computer and then design a treatment that is right for each patient. More than 100,000 Americans die every year due to complications from medications they take, because their genomes are a little bit different. We’re very excited that GW is taking the lead in teaching the next generation of doctors and pharmacists how to interpret patients’ genetic information and utilize it to treat them in the best, most intelligent way.” GW is well equipped to assume an educational leadership role in the pharmacogenomics field, thanks to the success of the University’s new McCormick Genomics Center. Established in 2001 with a $7.2 million gift from the estate of Catharine Birch McCormick, MD ’37, the Center has quickly made a name for itself in the research field. “Pharmacogenomics is a priority focus area for us,” says Tim McCaffrey, the center’s director. “I believe that in the not too distant future, many drugs will be co-prescribed with genetic tests to gauge whether individual patients can take them safely and whether they will be effective. All the technology is there, and we’re eager to start applying it.” Through their collaboration, GW and Shenandoah will produce a cadre of competent professionals prepared to tackle the challenges of the nation’s rapidly changing healthcare environment. “We’re really on the cutting edge of the field educationally,” says GW’s Senior Associate Dean of Health Sciences Jean Johnson. “Our program will prepare students for a variety of career opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to positioning them for advanced education in the field.” Students enter the program as juniors, after completing at least 60 hours of coursework from a community college or university, and go on to earn a bachelor of science degree in health sciences with a specialization in pharmacogenomics. Based primarily at GW’s Virginia Campus, the program combines a focus on the basic sciences, taught by GW faculty, with pharmaceutical courses, taught by Shenandoah faculty. The senior year curriculum doubles as the first year of Shenandoah’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, enabling students interested in completing a doctorate to graduate in seven instead of eight years. Students who choose to stop at the BS level will be well positioned to quickly land positions in the burgeoning biotechnology workforce. “It’s one of those wonderful times when higher education is ahead of itself,” says Paula Harper, executive director for program development and management at GW’s Virginia Campus. “The science behind pharmacogenomics is evolving so rapidly, and this is an opportunity for GW to be ahead of the curve. The program is designed to be fully articulated, with multiple jump in and jump out points, and is a unique partnership, making use of many modes of delivery at multiple sites.” Johnson anticipates an inaugural class of 25 students this fall, quickly doubling to 50 students annually. “We’re excited to be creating a true career pathway in this fast-emerging field, which will soon be a $2 billion industry,” she says. “GW continues to be committed to looking at innovative partnerships with other educational institutions, since we’ve worked so well with the faculty at Shenandoah. Together, we’ve really been able to move the program forward.” |
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