The ACCOuNT Consortium: A Model for the Discovery, Translation, and Implementation of Precision Medicine in African Americans

Paula N. Friedman, Mohammed Shaazuddin, Li Gong, Robert L. Grossman, Arthur F. Harralson, Teri E. Klein, Norman H. Lee, Doriane C. Miller, Edith A. Nutescu, Travis J. O'Brien, Peter H. O'Donnell, Kevin J. O'Leary, Matthew Tuck, David O. Meltzer, Minoli A. Perera*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

The majority of pharmacogenomic (PGx) studies have been conducted on European ancestry populations, thereby excluding minority populations and impeding the discovery and translation of African American–specific genetic variation into precision medicine. Without accounting for variants found in African Americans, clinical recommendations based solely on genetic biomarkers found in European populations could result in misclassification of drug response in African American patients. To address these challenges, we formed the Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center (TCC), African American Cardiovascular Pharmacogenetic Consortium (ACCOuNT), to discover novel genetic variants in African Americans related to clinically actionable cardiovascular phenotypes and to incorporate African American–specific sequence variations into clinical recommendations at the point of care. The TCC consists of two research projects focused on discovery and translation of genetic findings and four cores that support the projects. In addition, the largest repository of PGx information on African Americans is being established as well as lasting infrastructure that can be utilized to spur continued research in this understudied population.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)209-217
Number of pages9
JournalClinical and Translational Science
Volume12
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2019

Funding

Figure 1 The African American Cardiovascular Pharmacogenetic Consortium (ACCOuNT) Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center (TCC). Although both the discovery and translational projects are independent efforts, the overall interactions of these projects within ACCOuNT will help to develop a pipeline from which newly discovered single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Discovery Project and SNPs curated via PharmGKB will be investigated within the Translational Project. Data gathered within the Translational Project will inform which drugs are relevant candidates for investigation within the Discovery Project. Results of the Translational Project will be evaluated by the Implementation Advisory Council (IAC), which will collaborate with regional community partners for implementation planning and pilot project development. The ACCOuNT Data Commons will house information generated via the Discovery Project will become a resource for the greater PGx community for discovery and validation of African American findings. All efforts will have oversight of our Community and Stakeholder Advisory Board (CSAB) within the Consortium Core, which has launched community-based pilot projects. All projects and cores are supported by the infrastructure within the Administrative Core, which provides the foundation of the TCC. Funding. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (U54MD010723).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics

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