NEXUS MPI Gary Miller, PhD, Columbia University, has been awarded the International Collen-Francqui Chair in recognition of his longstanding leadership in exposomics. The chair is hosted by Ghent University (they spell it Gent in Belgium) along with four other Belgian partner universities (Antwerp University, KU Leuven, Hasselt University, and the University of Liège).
These symposia aim to examine key developments in exposomics, with sessions focused on topics such as using exposomics to study a range of diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.
Other lectures will focus on technological developments in the field, the feasibility of large biobank-scale studies, and commercialization opportunities.
Dr. Miller’s visiting professorship aligns well with NEXUS, as enhancing collaboration with European scientists was one of the stated objectives of the project.
More information: https://www.ugent.be/fw/internationalcollenfrancqui
Dr. Miller’s research encompasses a broad and diverse range of topics within exposomics. In addition to NEXUS, Dr. Miller leads the Individual Metabolome and Exposome Assessment for Pharmaceutical Optimization (IndiPHARM). IndiPHARM is a multicenter research initiative working to revolutionize pharmacology by delivering a high-resolution precision monitoring system that can be used in large populations to assess drug efficacy and in individuals to tailor optimal drug treatment.
IndiPHARM is funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop tools for personalized treatment by analyzing drug interactions with environmental exposures, along with a platform to measure hundreds of drugs and their metabolites and thousands of chemicals derived from the environment, diet, and lifestyles.
Learn more about IndiPHARM: https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/centers/center-innovative-exposomics/research/indipharm
In addition, Dr. Miller is a member of the SAMBAI (Social, Ancestry, Molecular and Biological Analysis of Inequalities) project, which aims to create an unprecedented resource to define the factors that cause and influence disparate outcomes in diverse underserved populations.
This project will look at social, environmental, biological, and genetic determinants of disease in the African diaspora. Dr. Miller’s team will lead Work Package 2 to conduct the exposomics analysis. SAMBAI is led by Dr. Melissa Davis at Morehouse University.
Learn more about SAMBAI: https://www.cancergrandchallenges.org/sambai
IndiPHARM and SAMBAI are just two of the exposomic projects that Gary Miller is leading under the Center for Innovative Exposomics
Learn more about the center.