City of Hope and Translational Genomics Research Institute combine to advance precision medicine and speed translational research

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DUARTE, Calif., and PHOENIX, Dec. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and cancer and diabetes treatment center, and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), a leading biomedical research institute, announced today that they have formed an alliance to make precision medicine a reality for patients.

This alliance enables both institutes to complement each other in their common areas of research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen.

City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation, hematologic malignancies, and select solid tumors and diabetes. TGen is a leader in applying genomic analysis and bioinformatics to cancer drug development. Together, City of Hope and TGen will transform the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. This alliance will accelerate the speed with which scientists and medical staff convert research discoveries into cures for patients.

"Patients want choices and access to the newest and most advanced care available," said Robert W. Stone, president and chief executive officer of City of Hope. "City of Hope and TGen share a common vision for improving patient outcomes, and our collaboration will speed cancer cures by rapidly advancing discoveries to define high-risk populations, identifying targets for prevention and treatment, and promoting initiatives that close health equity gaps."

"This alliance will enable us to fully deploy genomic-enabled medicine within a modern health care system to create a disruptive change in the practice of medicine. Our aim is to not only navigate this changing field, but lead it," said Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D., president and research director for TGen.

"Precision medicine is the future of cancer care," said Steven T. Rosen, M.D., provost and chief scientific officer for City of Hope. "Together, City of Hope and TGen will cover the bench-to-bedside continuum. Our complementary strengths will propel us to the forefront of personalized medicine in alignment with our nation's 'Moonshot' initiative."

Precision medicine is emerging as a primary approach for disease prevention and treatment for complex conditions. It is being explored for conditions such as cancer, diabetes and rare genetic diseases. The ability to better diagnose, treat, cure and prevent diseases depends on: discovering the genetic causes of diseases, understanding why individuals respond to different therapies, and translating this understanding into new diagnostic tests and therapies.

In forming this alliance, City of Hope and TGen will focus on leveraging their respective strengths in patient care and genomics to develop a comprehensive Personalized Hope program to detect disease sooner, and improve patient quality of life and survival. Near term, they will focus on leveraging their respective strengths in immunotherapy and genomics to rapidly gain new insights into immune function and expand opportunities for the rational design of new immune interventions.

TGen remains an Arizona-based nonprofit with headquarters in Phoenix. As part of the agreement, TGen will join the City of Hope system by becoming a subsidiary of the City of Hope parent organization. William Post, TGen board chairman, will join City of Hope's board of directors, and Trent will remain president and research director at TGen and will report to City of Hope's CEO Robert W. Stone. Stone has accepted a seat on the TGen board and will serve as vice chairman.

About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as one of only 47 comprehensive cancer centers, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the world. City of Hope is located in Duarte, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, with community clinics throughout Southern California. It is ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation, diabetes and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs based on technology developed at the institution. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix-based nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer and diabetes, through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen.

CONTACT
Letisia Marquez (City of Hope)
626-218-3398
[email protected]

Steve Yozwiak (TGen)
602-343-8704
[email protected]

SOURCE City of Hope

Related Links

http://www.cityofhope.org