Knowledge Synthesis Center for Genomic Applications

CDC’s Office of Public Health Genomics (OPHG) announced a new funding opportunity [PDF – 261K] in 2010 for the creation of a Genomics Knowledge Synthesis Center for Genomic Applications. In September 2010, OPHG awarded this funding to the Center for Health Research Northwest, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, in Portland, Oregon. The center, working collaboratively with CDC, will plan and develop:

• systematic evidence reviews on selected genomic applications,
• topic briefs on genomic applications, and
• methods to enhance the efficiency and quality of systematic evidence reviews.

Systematic evidence reviews will examine the validity and utility of various health-related genomic tests (e.g., DNA, RNA, and proteomic tests; family health history tools; other health-related genomic services), including information on contextual factors and ethical, legal, and social issues. These evidence reviews will be conducted using the methods developed by the Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention (EGAPP™) Working Group and CDC. Some of these reviews will be used by the EGAPP™ Working Group to make recommendation statements on the use of the genomic tests and other services.

The center will collaborate with CDC to develop brief evidence summaries on the validity and utility of selected genomic applications and related issues, which will be published in PLoS Currents: Evidence on Genomic Tests.

Evidence reviews and summaries, along with recommendation statements and other resources, will be made publicly available in the GAPP Knowledge Base (GAPP KB).
This is the first year of a 3 year cooperative agreement with total funding of approximately $1,500,000.

Resources

• PLoS Currents: Evidence on Genomic Tests
• Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network (GAPPNet™)
• new funding opportunity [PDF – 261K]