NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – The Nationwide Foundation has donated $10 million to the Nationwide Children's Pediatric Innovation Fund, which will support research at Nationwide Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, as well as research efforts in heart health, neonatology, and injury prevention.
Nationwide Foundation established the Pediatric Innovation Fund in 2014, which enabled the establishment of the Institute for Genomic Medicine and the hiring of Richard Wilson and Elaine Mardis from the McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University in St. Louis last year.
Since the Institute for Genomic Medicine launched, it has established its core team, installed cloud computing and IT infrastructure, and is scheduled to launch cancer-specific exome sequencing later this year. In addition, around 40 children and their families have enrolled in a program to have their exomes sequenced with the goal of identifying the genetic underpinning of their condition and potentially better treatment options.
Wilson and Mardis have also both been named as Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chairs in Genomic Medicine.
"It's exciting to see the advances that have recently been made to support genomic research, and it's also heartening to know that many children are already benefiting from this work," Steve Rasmussen, Nationwide CEO and Nationawide Foundation chairman, said in a statement.
In addition to genomics research, the Innovation Fund also supports research in injury prevention at the Nationwide Children's Center for Injury Research and Policy.