Geisinger launches national precision medicine initiative, appoints Huntington Willard director

Julie Spitzer -

Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger is rolling out a National Precision Health Initiative as part of its strategy to expand its precision health program on the national level, and it has appointed Huntington F. Willard, PhD, as its first director.

The initiative will be based in the Washington, D.C., area to foster partnerships and ventures with organizations across the nation and spread the Geisinger model of integrating genomics and data science into precision healthcare. The program will advance the MyCode Community Health Initiative —  an effort by Geisinger to code and store community members' DNA —  and integrate Geisinger's electronic health data.

Dr. Willard will launch a Precision Health Innovation Lab that will accelerate innovation under the program, leveraging discoveries and advances in genomics and data science throughout the system.

"I'm thrilled to be joining the Geisinger family. I know of no other health system with such dedication to putting patients and their health first," Dr. Willard said. "I look forward to launching new programs committed to broadening Geisinger's impact in precision health on a national scale."

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