Dear Colleague,
The California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM) is happy to announce significant changes this summer. Following the Legislature’s passage of the State Budget Act of 2024 last night, CIAPM will “graduate” from its start-up phase and transition to the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) next fiscal year. Our programmatic scope is also growing to better address research topics in pandemic prevention and preparedness, as shared by the Governor’s Press Office. Further details of the transition timeline will be provided as the move takes shape.
Additionally, this newsletter highlights an interview with an esteemed member of the CIAPM-funded Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles research project, Emeritus Director of the Fiesta Educativa Center Irene Martinez. Read on for recent achievements from our network, an updated timeline for the Depression Research Program, and an overview of a staff site visit to UC Berkeley alongside members of the California Mental Health Services, Oversight, and Accountability Commission. Finally, register and join us virtually at the rescheduled July 9th Meeting of the California Precision Medicine Advisory Council.
We look forward to this next chapter in support of the remarkable California precision medicine community.
The CIAPM Team
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California to Focus on Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention through Precision Medicine Research
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On June 25, Governor Newsom announced an agreement, as part of the AB/SB164 budget package, to enhance the state’s ability to prepare for, and potentially prevent the next pandemic by expanding CIAPM's scope to set the stage for future investments in pandemic research.
CIAPM will also be integrated into the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) over the next several months. Read the full press release at the Governor’s Press Office.
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Depression Research Program
The Depression Research Program Expert Selection Committee met in May and recommended three research projects for awards from sixteen exceptional, highly competitive finalists. CIAPM warmly thanks all applicants and expects to publicly announce awards as early as next month, with projects anticipated to start in late 2024.
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Mental Health Commission Site Visit in Berkeley |
On June 12, CIAPM Staff were honored to be invited by the Mental Health Services and Oversight Accountability Commission to join a site visit at UC Berkeley to explore areas for innovation and investment to meet Californians’ behavioral health needs.
The gathering brought together leaders from the Innovation Genomics Institute, the Garwood Center for Corporate Innovation, the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, the Sutardja Institute for Entrepreneurship, and other venture capital experts and researchers.
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California Precision Medicine Advisory Council |
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The next California Precision Medicine Advisory Council meeting was rescheduled for July 9 at 2:00 p.m. PT. The Council will discuss programmatic updates and the transition to CalHHS, among other topics, member additions and bylaws, the Depression Research Program, and upcoming changes to CIAPM.
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An Interview with Irene Martinez |
CIAPM-Funded Project: Scalable Measurement and Clinical Deployment of Mitochondrial Biomarkers of Toxic Stress (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Pat Levitt)
Irene I. Martinez, MSW, now retired, was Executive Director and co-founder of Fiesta Educativa (“Educational Party”) Inc., a culturally conscious, nationally recognized, community-based center for parent/guardian training on developmental disabilities for Latino families, founded in collaboration with the Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center.
Ms. Martinez served over thirty years in the field of disabilities, education, training, and advocacy program development for families of children and dependents with disabilities.
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Why are community partnerships in research important, and how did you get involved?
"As the Director of Fiesta Educativa, I was initially introduced to academics in the Southern California region who had personal experiences with disabled family members and were involved with our program. Through this connection, I was invited to a three-day conference by the NIH emphasizing the importance of non-profit involvement in biomedical research.
Upon return to California, I brought some of the ideas and lessons learned to our board of directors at Fiesta, institutionalizing the framework for our program to get involved in academic research via frequent training sessions and changing our bylaws to allow for university collaborations. This started a collection of many more academic collaborations, and we were honestly one of the first non-profits to be involved in that space in Southern California.
Several academics emphasized the importance of non-profits like ours in being trusted community messengers, and even established trainings with the parents and families to gather buy-in from the Fiesta community."
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CIAPM Network in the News |
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The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) issued a Request for Information on strategies to advance the relevance and impact of mental health services research. Responses are due by September 30, 2024.
NIMH and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) issued a Notice of Special Interest on implementation science research to support the delivery of evidence-based practices in community-based mental or general medical healthcare settings. Rolling applications through May 8, 2025.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued a Notice of Funding Announcement to develop precision mental health tools that inform treatment selection in depression. Applications must be submitted by October 18, 2024.
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American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference
September 27 - October 1 | Orlando, FL
The AAP National Conference serves as a hub for the latest research and developments in pediatric medicine that is transforming child health care.
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National Academy for State Health Policy Annual Conference
September 9-11 | Nashville, TN
State leaders will present and discuss innovative solutions to rising prescription costs, hospital costs, Medicaid policy, health insurance marketplaces, telehealth, social determinants of health, behavioral health, and more.
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Find more external events on CIAPM's website. |
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P.O. Box 3022
Sacramento, CA 95814-3022
(916) 322-2318
info@opr.ca.gov
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