Data Lakes Meet the Great Lakes: Deep Dives into Diversity in Genomics

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PROJECT SUMMARY The North Coast Conference on Precision Medicine is a national annual mid-sized conference series held in Cleveland, Ohio. The conference series aims to serve as a venue for the continuing education and exchange of scientific ideas related to the rapidly evolving and highly interdisciplinary landscape that is precision medicine research. The topics for each conference coincide with the national conversation and research agenda set by national research programs focused on precision medicine. The 2020 and 2021 conferences will be symposia focused on broad themes relevant to translational genetic and genomic research, including the structure and biology of genomes; the biology of disease; bioinformatics; computational biology; application of genomics to improve clinical care; and ethical, legal and social issues (ELISI). All selected symposium topics will include an emphasis on diverse populations in research, which can range from ascertainment and participant retention strategies to methods development for analysis of admixed populations. The conference will be organized as a traditional format with invited speakers from among national experts set in a relaxing and inspiring environment at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Specific conference topics are being considered from previous symposia attendees and trends in precision medicine research. Odd-numbered year conferences include a workshop or group activity component which has previously covered outcome and exposure variable extraction from electronic health records and real-time survey of attendee knowledge pre- and post-symposium. Future workshop topics being considered include integration of multiple ‘omics, drug response in different populations, pharmacogenomics clinical implementation, precision medicine in cancer, data sharing and informed consent, and the use of apps for recruitment, diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment. Our second major objective of this conference series is the promotion of diversity in the biomedical workforce. It is well-known that the pipeline from training to full professor for women in biomedical research is leaky whereas the pipeline for under- represented minorities is practically non-existent. Drawing from national and local sources, we vet women and under-represented minorities for every invited speaker opportunity, thereby providing valuable career currency and networking opportunities. We will also encourage women and under-represented minorities, particularly at the trainee level, to attend and participate in this conference series to spur interest in pursuing genetics and genomics research as a career. Overall, the North Coast Conference on Precision Medicine series is a valuable addition to the national conference landscape, and with its unique location, low cost to participants, and travel awards, will serve as an important educational opportunity as precision medicine research accelerates in earnest.