MyCode, new research avenues, promising partnerships

Clinical research has been a part of Geisinger’s vision since its founding more than 100 years ago. Harold Foss, MD, Geisinger’s first chief surgeon and superintendent, had a mission to “provide medical care, education and research to the Danville community, the upper Susquehanna River Valley and beyond,” and he encouraged staff to stay at the forefront of medical progress by “constant study, research and investigation.” These words, emphasizing the importance of integrated efforts for clinical care, education and research, still resonate with our vision for the future.

As we begin a new year, I’m excited that we have aligned our research and education initiatives under the newly established Geisinger College of Health Sciences. Within this new structure, the Research Institute is organized in five departments: Autism & Developmental Medicine, Bioethics & Decision Sciences, Genomic Health, Health System Sciences and Population Health Sciences. In addition, our four research centers foster collaboration across our system in Community Environment and Health, Kidney Health, Obesity and Metabolic Disorders and Pharmacy Innovation and Outcomes.

One of Dr. Foss’s early goals was to “use creative research and work together to find better ways to conquer disease as observed among our patients.” Why is this type of clinical research so important? It allows us to turn hypotheses into health by learning from every patient to maximize better health for all. Through this learning health system model, we have built a robust research foundation as evidenced by our success: more than $53 million in external funding, more than 1,400 ongoing research studies (including nearly 300 clinical trials) and more than 1,000 publications (2022).

We continue to focus on Geisinger’s groundbreaking work, especially in precision health. Our MyCode Community Health Initiative uses genomics to identify risk for disease and prevent it, detect it earlier or treat it better. With DNA information on approximately 185,000 participants, MyCode remains the largest healthcare system-based research study of its kind. Importantly, about 1 in 30 MyCode participants receive a clinically actionable result — related to an increased risk for conditions like cancer or heart disease — and this knowledge helps inform conversations with their clinical providers to modify their care plans. MyCode’s growing bank of data is also allowing researchers to discover innovative ways to keep our patients healthy or treat their diseases better.

The coming year marks the beginning of several new and exciting research initiatives. In 2022, the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine was certified as a Medical Marijuana Academic Clinical Research Center by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Through this research program, Geisinger is partnering with Story of PA CR, LLC, and will receive a minimum of $30 million over the next 10 years to fund medical marijuana research.

We are also developing new partnerships with Lehigh University, Jefferson Health and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, building on the success of our longtime partnership with Bucknell University to maximize collaborative opportunities with each institution.

But the importance of research at Geisinger is best illustrated by our patients. Jeff Mylet, a MyCode participant, decided to have his thyroid removed in 2021 after being notified that he had an increased genetic risk of thyroid cancer.

“And it’s a good thing I did,” he said in a recent interview. “Once it was out, they found cancer. If it hadn’t been for MyCode, I never would’ve known.”

Christa Lese Martin, PhD, FACMG, DABMGG, Chief Scientific Officer, Geisinger Vice Dean for Research, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine; Professor and Director, Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute