# Expanding and sustaining UDN clinical site operations by leveraging a virtual platform for genetic services delivery

> **NIH NIH U01** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2021 · $150,000

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
A major obstacle for sustainability of the UDN CS operations include cost of travel to and clinical
evaluation at the CS. To overcome this, development of virtual engagement of both participants and their
health care providers is key. In so doing, the participant and local providers become partners in the UDN
journey. This will enable UDN CS to reduce personnel effort, increase efficiency, and cover costs for
recommended standard of care studies that can potentially be borne by local payors (both private 3rd party and
government payors). We will adapt a scalable virtual platform developed by us for delivery of genetic services,
i.e., Consultagene, to deliver all elements of the UDN CS for patient and provider engagement. Importantly, it
enables the participant and local providers to be full partners in the UDN process, a key step in achieving
sustainability. Consultagene is the first academic virtual platform to integrate genetics services including
genetics education, genetics consultation, and genetic counseling. It provides a platform and a framework to
address the increasing demands and unmet, evolving needs for genetic services due to widely available
genomic sequencing. In the context of the UDN, such virtual platforms have not been developed for
integrating research engagement, telehealth evaluation, and genomic data sharing. In this pilot project, we will
also identify factors that will affect implementation including professional, cultural, and logistical challenges for
a cooperative model for UDN clinical evaluations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10377271
- **Project number:** 3U01HG007709-08S1
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Carlos A. Bacino
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $150,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2014-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10377271

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10377271, Expanding and sustaining UDN clinical site operations by leveraging a virtual platform for genetic services delivery (3U01HG007709-08S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10377271. Licensed CC0.

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