Close on the heels of the official launch of Coriell Institute's Delaware Valley Personalized Medicine Project (DVPMP) at a Congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., hosted by Congressman Rob Andrews, the Institute hosted top ranking officials from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to discuss the groundbreaking project.

Billed as the "Challenges and Solutions in Personalized Medicine," the January 30, 2008 meeting brought together HHS leaders with specific responsibility for and oversight of personalized medicine with Coriell's scientists and executives. Also in attendance were physicians and top executives from hospital partners involved in the initiative - Cooper University Hospital, Fox Chase Cancer Center and Virtua Health. Additionally, members of the Informed Cohort Oversight Board participated in the discussion. In all, nearly 45 scientists, physicians, healthcare experts, and community members heard presentations and participated in a lively dialogue that laid the foundation for future discussions.

The agenda addressed a range of issues related to personalized medicine including an overview of federal initiatives and the goals of the DVPMP. The presentations and ensuing discussions also looked at the vital role of healthcare institutions, information technology management, ethics and patient privacy issues that must be considered as the project develops over the coming years.

Coriell President and CEO, Michael Christman, Ph.D., opened the meeting with an overview of the DVPMP including discussion of its goals, the value of expertise at Coriell, and how the demographics of the Delaware Valley, which is also home to many healthcare institutions, makes it an ideal region to launch this groundbreaking initiative.

Richard Campanelli, Counselor to the Secretary of HHS for Science and Health, and Greg Downing, D.O., Ph.D., HHS Senior Advisory and Program Director, Personalized Health Care Initiative, provided an overview of National Policy and Leadership in Personalized Medicine.

Following additional formal presentations by Coriell and its hospital partners, lively, informal discussions among the participants continued through lunch. According to Mike Christman, "As we enter this new frontier of personalized medicine, Coriell looks forward to more in depth discussions and collaboration with state and federal agencies, its partner hospitals in the Delaware Valley and healthcare facilities and professionals nationwide."