Join genoME® to learn about your health and how to protect it.
Signing up for genetic screening at no cost through Memorial Hermann genoME® can help you learn about your genetic risk for certain health conditions and what you can do to stay healthy.
The more you know about your health, the more you may be able to do to protect it. That’s what the genoME® community health research program is all about. At the intersection of science and caring, Memorial Hermann is using genetic screening to help pinpoint potential health issues that could impact your health in your lifetime—or your children’s. Developed through the strategic collaboration between Memorial Hermann and our genomics partner Helix , this community health research program, aims to uncover important information about your DNA. This may include helping to understand or predict how your body responds to diseases, and medications, or if you’re at risk for certain cancers or heart disease. By utilizing this information, our aim is to help prevent or combat disease, so you and others may be able to live a healthier life.
Join others who are learning about their health and how to protect it. Sign up for genoME®.
genoME® is a community health research program supported by Memorial Hermann to help improve the health of the patients and the community we serve. Through no-cost genetic screening, the program looks at how your DNA could impact your health. The information we gain may help us improve personalized healthcare and support new research discoveries.
genoME® aims to enroll 100,000 individuals who are over 18 in this community health research program.
As part of the genoME® program, a secure genetic research database will be developed in collaboration with other partners of Helix, a leading population genomics company that Memorial Hermann is working with. The genetic information in this database may lead researchers to discover the causes of certain diseases and how to treat them more effectively while helping Memorial Hermann improve the standard of health care for all patients.
Click Join genoME® to express interest in participating in the program. You will have the opportunity to learn more about participating in the research program, read the informed consent form and if you agree to participate, provide your information to receive a DNA saliva collection kit at home that you will return to our partner Helix for genetic screening.
You will receive the results of your genetic screening within approximately 12 weeks.
Together, you and your health care provider will receive health results from the genetic screening that will indicate if you have inherited certain risk factors in your DNA. If your results show you are at an increased risk for certain conditions, a member of the Memorial Hermann study team will contact you about your results and you will be able to schedule a genetic counseling appointment at no cost to you or your insurance.
Your health care provider may refer you to a specialist for more information, genetic counseling and/ or additional screenings, if needed.
The process takes about 12 weeks: from Helix receiving your saliva collection kit, to the time you receive your health results. Typically, your Ancestry and Traits results are ready within 8 weeks of the Helix lab receiving your sample. These results are available to you if you have created an optional Helix account. It may take another month before your health results are ready to view, as extra steps are taken to ensure your health results are accurate.
When it comes to your health, knowledge can be power. The earlier you know you’re at risk of a disease, the more you may be able to do to combat it. Earlier detection of disease risk may lead to better treatment outcomes and healthier results.
genoME® is a community health research program that may help put you in control of your health and your future:
It’s your health. It’s your future. Protect it. Join genoME®.
The information you contribute to genoME® will be used by researchers to study a wide range of questions around how DNA can impact health. The databases created in this research program will be used for future research by our genomics partner Helix, by us, and by other members of the Helix Research Network. That means, by agreeing to participate in the study, you are agreeing to have your information included in future research projects that are approved by us and by Helix.
Researchers outside of the Helix Research Network may also study your coded information and samples but will not have access to information that directly identifies you. These researchers may work for health systems, universities, government agencies, companies like drug companies and other foundations or groups interested in research. Any sharing of information outside of the network will be carefully reviewed and approved to make sure it is ethical, secure and protects your privacy.
We may share discoveries that are made by genoME® researchers through our website and newsletters.
genoME® is a community research program designed to learn more about DNA and its connection to your health. Researchers will study DNA from 100,000 Houstonians or individuals that choose to participate to see if any patterns are linked to increased risk of disease now and in the future. This information may lead to early disease detection and improve your health and the health of future generations. By participating in genoME®, you can play an important part in helping create a healthier community.
For questions or comments, please email GenoMEresearch@memorialhermann.org.
*Memorial Hermann Health System owns and operates 14 hospitals and has joint ventures with three other hospital facilities, including Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital First Colony, Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital Kingwood and Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital-Katy.