(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Nationwide Children's Hospital is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine, marking a decade of genomic medicine innovation and clinical impact that continues to advance pediatric research and care.
Founded in 2016, the Institute for Genomic Medicine was launched with the recruitment of founding Executive Director Richard Wilson, PhD, and Co-Executive Director Elaine Mardis, PhD, both internationally recognized leaders in genome science.
"Ten years ago, we set out to build one of the nation’s first comprehensive pediatric precision medicine institutes, a program that would harness genomic science to improve the lives of children and families," said Dr. Wilson. "Today, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of our researchers, clinicians and staff, and the courage of the many patients and families who have taken part in our research and clinical progress.”
The Institute integrates clinical genomic testing, research, technology development and computational analytics to accelerate discovery and improve care for children with cancer, genetic disorders and complex diseases. By collaborating across Nationwide Children's and with research partners around the world, the Institute advances understanding of childhood disease and develops more personalized approaches to treatment.
An important milestone in the Institute’s history is the expansion of rapid genome sequencing. Its implementation has helped provide faster diagnoses for critically ill children and informed care for hundreds of patients. To date, more than 1,200 patients have received rapid genome sequencing. Typically delivering results within three days, this test has provided answers for about one-third of children who previously had no diagnosis, helping care teams make more informed treatment decisions and ending the “diagnostic odyssey” for many families.
"Genomic medicine is transforming the way we diagnose and care for children," said Dr. Mardis. "By bringing together laboratory science, clinical expertise and advanced data analytics, we are helping families find answers faster and opening new possibilities for treatment of pediatric cancer, as well as many genetic disorders and rare diseases.”
A significant international milestone is the Institute’s leadership with the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) Molecular Characterization Initiative (MCI), one of the largest pediatric tumor molecular characterization efforts in the world that harnesses data in ways that speed up progress in childhood cancer.
The MCI collects, analyzes and reports clinical and molecular data, supporting clinicians at more than 220 Children’s Oncology Group (COG)-affiliated hospitals in choosing the best treatment for patients through precision diagnosis. Since its inception in 2022, more than 9,000 pediatric cancer patients have been enrolled in the MCI.
The Institute’s growth has been fueled by remarkable philanthropic and community support. Since its inception, annual investments through the Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund have supported the continued expansion of genomic medicine initiatives at Nationwide Children's. In 2019, the Institute was renamed the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine in recognition of the Rasmussens’ transformational philanthropic support.
The Institute also is committed to training future genomic medicine scientists, bioinformaticians, physicians and other faculty while expanding the use of advanced computational approaches and artificial intelligence to accelerate discovery and improve patient care.
As genomic medicine continues to evolve, Nationwide Children's is positioned to expand access to precision medicine and further integrate genomic insights into everyday patient care.
“We are proud of what has been achieved over the past 10 years, and we look forward to the future of our genomic medicine enterprise," said Dennis Durbin, MD, MSCE, president of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s. "Every discovery brings us closer to our vision of delivering more precise diagnoses, more effective treatments and best outcomes for children everywhere."
About The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s faculty train the next generation of pediatricians, scientists and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities in the U.S., supporting basic, clinical, translational, behavioral and population health research. The AWRI is comprised of multidisciplinary Centers of Emphasis paired with advanced infrastructure supporting capabilities such as technology commercialization for discoveries; gene- and cell-based therapies; and genome sequencing and analysis. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org/Research.