Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been chosen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to be the Data and Research Support Center for the Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program, a landmark study of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors affecting the health of a million or more people, federal officials have announced.

The NIH will provide $71.6 million over five years to VUMC to establish and operate the center, making this the largest research grant the Medical Center has ever received from any source.

“The Precision Medicine Initiative gives urgency to our shared goal of making patient care far more personal; unlocking the key intelligence we need to tailor diagnosis and treatment for the genetic and environmental features of every individual,” said Jeff Baler, MD, PhD, president and CEO of VUMC and dean of the School of Medicine. “Moreover, this competitive grant, the largest in our history, will generate substantial economic impact for Tennessee, while firmly anchoring Vanderbilt and Nashville as a national hub for personalized medicine.”