Center for Personalized Medicine

Primary Children's Center for Personalized Medicine is founded on our belief that every child deserves to get the most advanced care possible. This collaborative initiative between Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah Health, and Intermountain Precision Genomics is the first of its kind in the Intermountain West. Our team includes physicians, researchers, genetic counselors and staff who are recognized for their expertise and are using cutting-edge genetic technologies to understand a child's unique genetic makeup and offer tailored treatments. Our mission is to deliver personalized, precise, leading-edge care for kids by developing treatments and cures for complex and rare diseases, in partnership with our many centers of care, like Heart, Cancer, and Brain & Spine.

There are more than 7,000 known genetic diseases, many of which affect infants and children and can cause life-long disability. There are cures for only a handful of these diseases. The goal of the Primary Children’s Center for Personalized Medicine is to transform this critical need for treatments through research, discovery, and innovative therapies.

Precision Diagnosis

• Allows critically-ill children to receive personalized, targeted therapies based on their genetic make-up. 
• State-of-the-art technology and rapid whole-genome sequencing quickly identify genetic causes of hard-to-diagnose diseases. 
• Getting a diagnosis and treatment quickly greatly improves a child's prospects for leading a healthier life. 
• Initial efforts are focused on providing answers to critically-ill infants in the newborn intensive care unit, and children with severe seizures and heart conditions.

Gene Therapies and Novel Therapeutics

• Enables children with previously debilitating and fatal genetic diseases to survive and thrive.
• Primary Children's is one of only six hospitals nationwide to provide gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy, one of the most common childhood genetic conditions.
• Clinical trials are testing gene therapy treatments for Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy, Adrenoleukodystrophy, and other serious diseases.
• Development is underway for novel therapeutics that target specific diseases and improve health.

Stem Cell, Immunologic and Regenerative Medicine

• Uses a child's own cells, or genetically modifies a child's cells and immune system, to fight disease and promote healing.
• Clinical trials are testing the use of stem cells in repairing diseased hearts and other tissues. Research is aimed at developing immunotherapy as a tool to fight pediatric brain tumors.

We are doctors, researchers, administrators and staff, many of whom are also parents. We believe that every child deserves to get the most advanced care and we define success by knowing that our work is never done - we will never stop pursuing new therapies and new cures.