Precision Health Research Symposium

Thank you for joining us! All 2024 session recordings can be found here.

The third conference, hosted by the Precision Public Health Network (R13CA261073), was held in Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, November 15. The 2024 theme was "Advancing Equity through Precision Health." This event was held in conjunction with MUSC's second annual Precision Health Research Symposium.

In addition to the symposium, there was a special pre-symposium seminar, Communities, equity, and precision public health, with Dr. Annette Braunack-Mayer, Ph.D., on November 7. This virtual seminar offered valuable insights and discussions that set the stage for the main event. The seminar recording can be found here.

View the Precision Public Health Network website for more information about past conferences and the code of conduct.

Symposium Schedule

8am – Check-in, breakfast, and poster viewing

8:45am – Opening Remarks

Speakers: Caitlin Allen, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Public Health Sciences, MUSC

Anand Mehta, PhD, Interim Vice President for Research and Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Immunology, MUSC

9am – “Behavioral Testing for Algorithmic Bias Identification”

Speaker: Paul Heider, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Public Health Sciences, MUSC

9:15am – “Developing a Statewide Network for Outbreak Detection, Forecasting, and Coordinated Emergency Response in Medically Underserved Communities"

Speaker: Lior Rennert, PhD, Associate Dean for Health Sciences and Associate Professor and Director, Center for Public Health Modeling and Response, Clemson University

10am – “GARDE: Population Health Platform for Genetic Testing of Hereditary Cancer Syndromes”

Speaker: Guilherme Del Fiol, MD, PhD, FACMI, Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Dept. of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah

10:45am – "From Bytes to Bites: Advances in Precision Nutrition and Public Health to Advance Health Equity”

Speaker: Deborah Tate, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Nutrition, University of North Carolina

11:30am – “Exploring Predictors of Genetic Testing Completion for Hereditary Cancer Risk Among Latinos in the U.S.: Findings from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)"

Speaker: Dayanna Ramirez Leon, MPH, Graduate Student, Emory University

“Enhancing health equity through culturally and linguistically-tailored genetics education materials”

Speaker: Grace Leon-Lozano, BS, Research Assistant, University of North Carolina

11:45am – Summary of morning session

12pm – Lunch and poster viewing

12:30pm – “Assessing diverse communities' perspectives of precision research participation: the Precision research participation (PECAN) study”

Speaker: Jacob Williams, MPH, Graduate Research Assistant, MUSC

12:45pm – Community Panel

Panelists: Lee Moultrie, Community Organizer and 18-year USAF Veteran

Kim Hale, Associate Director of State Partnerships, American Cancer Society

Richard Steet, PhD, Director of Research and Head of JC Self Research Institute, Greenwood Genetic Center

Paula Ramos, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Medicine, Emory University

1:30pm – “Racing Towards a Diagnosis: Rapid Genomic Sequencing in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients”

Speaker: Kristen Lancaster, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics, MUSC

1:45pm – “Using a phenomenological approach to improve equity in electronic health research”

Speaker: Alison Fohner, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Epidemiology, University of Washington

2:30pm – “Promoting Cancer Prevention and Early Detection through Universal Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment (HCRA) in Federally Qualified Health Centers - Preliminary Findings from 3 studies”

Speaker: Pamela Ganschow, MD, Director, Cancer Prevention and Survivorship Clinical Programs, Dept. of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois Cancer Center

3:15pm – “Applying a mainstreaming model of hereditary cancer genetic testing to advance health equity”

Speaker: Jada Hamilton, PhD, MPH, Associate Attending Psychologist, Co-Director, Genomics, Risk & Health Decision-Making Lab, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

4:00pm – Summary of afternoon session

4:15pm – Closing Remarks

Speaker: Caitlin Allen, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Public Health Sciences, MUSC

Travel Information

Lodging recommendations:

• Charleston Marriott
  170 Lockwood Drive, Charleston SC 29403
  ~5 minute drive to MUSC’s campus
• Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Waterfront/Downtown
  45 Lockwood Drive, Charleston SC 29401
  ~4 minute drive to MUSC’s campus
• Comfort Inn Downtown Charleston
  144 Bee Street, Charleston SC 29401
  ~10 minute walk to MUSC’s campus 

Local Airport:

• Charleston International Airport (CHS)
  5500 International Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29418