From left: Kamran Jillani, Associate Researcher; Carlton Bailey, Clinical Research Coordinator I; Janice Morinigo, Laboratory Coordinator III; and Amanda B. Merkelson, MPH, Associate Director
Amanda Merkelson, MPH, Associate Director of the BioMe Biobank Program, is proud of her team that has been instrumental in enrolling a diverse population of patients in the vital pursuit of genomic studies.
“Our laboratory and clinical research coordinators work tirelessly to offer the altruistic opportunity of a lifetime to any and all Mount Sinai patients,” she says. “They enable patients of all backgrounds, ages, and medical conditions to contribute to a future of personalized medicine where patients will be examined, treated, and diagnosed as unique individuals.”
Funded by The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, BioMe is a research biobank linked to the electronic medical record that enables IRB-approved researchers to rapidly and efficiently conduct genetic, epidemiologic, molecular, and genomic studies on large collections of de-identified research specimens. The BioMe program is at the center of the effort by Mount Sinai to lead the movement toward diagnosis and classification of disease according to a patient’s molecular profile.
In saluting her team, Amanda explains, “The clinical research coordinators are so warm, inviting, and knowledgeable, they have garnered the trust, love, admiration, and partnership of the practice staff and our beloved medical assistants across the Health System. The trustworthiness they are able to impart to all patients has led to their success with enrolling a diverse cohort of patients. Even populations that have been historically fearful of research or have been marginalized as far as participation opportunities are excited and eager to contribute to the future of health for generations to come.”
If you are interested in learning more about BioMe and contributing through enrolling, please contact BioMeBiobank@mssm.edu.