After about seven years with SoundRocket, the Genomes2People Research Program in genomic sequencing has re-upped and expanded the partnership with the help of a new NIH grant for its PeopleSeq Consortium study. The Genomes2People Research Program (G2P) performs innovative empirical research to explore medical, behavioral, and economic impacts of using genomic information in society, specifically in medicine. G2P is conducted through the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Broad Institute.
PeopleSeq Paving the Way
Underneath G2P, the Genome Sequencing Outcomes (PeopleSeq) Consortium explores the use of whole genomic sequencing on otherwise healthy adults. This study is the first ever to evaluate and monitor the behavioral, medical, and economic effects on early adopters as they receive, and then make use of, their results. Early outcomes of the study have already been released to the public.
Typically, as is the case with 23andMe and AncestryDNA, consumers use at-home genotyping kits to discover how their genes relate to their world ancestry or various other traits. Whole genome sequencing technology, however, could inform healthy individuals about rare genetic variants associated with increased risks of various conditions or diseases.
New Funding Expands PeopleSeq
The three year PeopleSeq study is led by Robert C. Green, a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, the Director of the G2P Research Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute. Dr. Green has also led various other G2P studies, including the REVEAL Study, BabySeq Project, MedSeq Project, PGen Study, MilSeq Study, and won the Coriell Prize for Scientific Achievement in Personalized Medicine
Since becoming a part of the Harvard Medical School faculty eight years ago, Dr. Green’s G2P research team has been awarded over $35 million in research support. He recently led the PeopleSeq research team in successfully winning a $897,000 grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute, of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). With the early support of small private grants and this newer funding, the number of PeopleSeq study participants is predicted to triple its current size of 1,000 tracked individuals by the expected end date in June 2021.
SoundRocket Takes the Lead
SoundRocket will take the primary lead on respondent interactions/support, data collection, and data management. The study design consists of pre- and post- report disclosure surveys, followed by annual longitudinal surveys online. SoundRocket will provide questionnaire design and other survey methodological services.
Julie Smith will lead data collection, with Scott Crawford serving in a strategic development and survey methodology role. This study is an example of SoundRocket custom data collection services, with a crossover into FDA regulatory work.
SoundRocket also provides research consulting, and has extensive experience with standardized/syndicated studies, like the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership and National Campus Climate Survey.
If your social science research study needs a touch of SoundRocket expertise, you can fill out this form and the team will be in touch.