HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS
HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS
is the most powerful line from Illumina, the world-
leader in genome sequencing technology. As one
of only a few centers in the central United States
featuring NovaSeq6000s, UTA and UNTHSC will be
able to meet the rising demand for whole genome and
exome sequencing in the region, serving as a hub for
advancing collaborative cutting-edge medical research
in the region.
“We’re excited about the future of genomics in North
Texas, and we believe this collaboration holds great
promise for the future,” said Mark Van Oene, senior vice
president and chief commercial officer for Illumina.
UTA will partner with hospitals and medical systems
throughout the region to support the needs of their
clinicians for whole genome, whole exome and other
patient genomic data.
“The new North Texas Genome Center aligns with
UTA’s strategic focus on both health and the human
condition and data-driven discovery, and will lead
to future programs and partnerships in genomics,
computational sciences and genetic counseling,” said
UTA President Vistasp Karbhari. “The Center will also
catalyze the University’s emergence as a leader in
precision health and the transformation of the region
into a high-tech science hub.”
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Dr. Todd Castoe and Dr. Jon Weidanz,
both with UT Arlington, stand next to the
NovaSeq6000
The Center will also help support and enhance
UNTHSC’s research expertise in genetics, aging and
Alzheimer’s disease – along with its clinical emphasis
on primary care, geriatrics and patient safety.
UTA expects the North Texas Genome Center to boost
the local economy through patented inventions,
company startups and job creation. “UTA is becoming
a hub for innovation in North Texas, and the North Texas
Genome Center will boost our capacities in this area,”
said Duane Dimos, UTA vice president for research.
Space to Innovate for
a Future of Care
In a former cracker and candy factory in
Dallas’ historic West End area of downtown
is a very next-generation idea: By bringing
together several different aspects of healthcare
and keeping customers at the center of the
mission, insurance provider Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of Texas is developing solutions to
make healthcare more affordable and improve
outcomes for patients.
Named the C1 Innovation Lab – “C1” for “Customer
First” – customer service and healthcare management
teams work and collaborate on-site to improve care
coordination, health outcomes and the member
experience for corporate accounts. In this space, a
multi-disciplinary team of 80 strategists, design thinkers
and creators evaluate concepts, pilot products and
processes to bring healthcare solutions to the market
for issues such as regulatory risk, the increasing burden
of sponsoring healthcare, minimum wage pressure and
other macro-economic issues that mean the most to
national employers.
While there are a handful of other innovation centers in
the U.S. in the Blue Cross system, the North Texas lab is
the first to create a co-working space where clinicians,
members, advocates and innovators can unite and
work one-on-one to generate solutions.
Jon Weidanz, UTA’s associate vice president for research
and interim director of the new center underlined
the importance of the partnership with UNTHSC on
this project. “People will come here for that kind of ethos in the
environment,” said Paul Hain, M.D., market president
of the North Texas Region of Blue Cross and Blue
Shield. “It’s a fun time to be part of the advancement
of healthcare.”
“UTA’s partnership with UNTHSC on this project is a
real differentiator,” Weidanz said. “The new ideas
generated will be translated to the market through
patents, licensing and startups, generating more
wealth in the region.” With flexibility and mobility in mind, the 31,000-square-
foot space is available for clients, vendors and academic
centers to enter into collaborative partnerships.
Co-located business operations in the lab include
customer service and care management teams that
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work together to improve care coordination, health
outcomes and member experiences. Strategists, design
thinkers and creators review concepts, pilot products and
processes to bring healthcare solutions to the market.
Paul Hain, M.D.,
market president
of the North
Texas Region of
Blue Cross and
Blue Shield
“The thought behind creating this center was to have
a place where a large business could come and have
a design sprint session so that they could invent
or design new ways of dealing with problems in the
healthcare system,” Dr. Hain said. “It’s more than just
an ideation space. It’s both an innovation space and a
maker space because we have people who can answer
questions about claims, do medical management and
more. It’s a first for healthcare in North Texas."
Clues to Cancer
One in 21. Those are the current odds for men
developing colorectal cancer in their lifetime.
The odds are slightly improved for women, with
the current risk rate at one in 23. Colon cancer
is expected to take over 50,000 lives in the U.S.
this year alone.
For people suffering from ulcerative colitis, though, the
risk of developing colon cancer becomes even higher.
For anyone with the potential to develop colon cancer,
fighting this deadly disease requires more than new
treatment options – and right here in North Texas is a
team looking for the clues to cancer.
Researchers at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute
in Dallas are exploring the connection between
ulcerative colitis and colon cancer, to find a way to go
beyond treatment and toward a game-changing test
for early detection. And they just may have found those
clues to cancer in our body’s own microRNA.
“Using a model we’ve used in other studies, such as
one for pancreatic cancer, we first looked at microRNA
(mRNA) biomarkers — the keepers of our genetic
information — and compared mRNA biomarkers of
people with colorectal cancer against the biomarkers
of healthy people,” explained Ajay Goel, Ph.D., professor
and director of the Center for Gastrointestinal Research
and director of the Center for Translational Genomics
and Oncology at Baylor University Medical Center
in Dallas.
Of the 387 samples examined, Dr. Goel’s team found
certain biomarkers were higher in patients with
colorectal cancer than in those without.
This discovery has very powerful implications,
especially for people with ulcerative colitis. Based on
this premise, it’s possible that we can take one biopsy,
when someone is in their twenties or thirties, and then
immediately know their risk for colorectal cancer now
or down the road.
Having inflammatory bowel disease, especially
ulcerative colitis, can increase a person’s risk of colon
cancer by almost 150 percent, according to a study
in Digestive Endoscopy.
“Because people are typically diagnosed with
ulcerative colitis in their twenties and thirties, that’s
where we started. We approached the study with two
clinical questions: Could we find a better approach
to diagnosing patients with ulcerative colitis? Which
of these patients face a higher risk of developing
colorectal cancer later in life?” Dr. Goel asked.
With this approach, the team is looking at not only more
effectively identifying at-risk patients and creating more
refined treatment options, but also helping improve the
quality of life for thousands of other ulcerative colitis
patients. Instead of ongoing monitoring and a lifetime of
biopsies just in case they someday develop colorectal
cancer, treatment options can be customized according
to the patient’s individual risk level.
“We’re motivated by these results, but in the future, we
plan to take it one step forward: Can we find the same
kind of cancer biomarkers in a person’s blood, rather
than through samples from a biopsy? Could predicting
colorectal cancer risk be as easy as a blood test for
patients with ulcerative colitis?” Dr. Goel said.
While still in its early phases, this test alone is a
significant step forward in helping patients receive a
better diagnostic approach for ulcerative colitis and
developing colorectal cancer, in one single biopsy.
DISCOVER WHAT’S
Even with all this cutting-edge innovation happening
around North Texas, our healthcare providers never lose
sight of the most important factor: the patient.
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