Our Mission:
The mission of the CPMI is to decode host-microbe relationships and how they shape human health at the level of the individual.
About:
The overarching goal of the CPMi will be to leverage the vast amount of microbial information harbored by our patients to support research, education and translational efforts. CPMi aims to expand personalized discovery to account for the interconnected diversity of both patient and microbe. Just as with the human host, differences in phenotype and genotype – and other diverse multiomic signatures – are plentiful across individual microbial species and strains, impacting the balance between health, disease, and therapeutic response. By harnessing this powerful information, we can begin to better understand the nuances of disease at an individual patient level. A key aspect of CPMi is its microbial biobanks (MicroVU / VUIR) that stores microbial isolates/microbiomes and are connected to Vanderbilt’s de-identified mirror of electronic health records (Synthetic Derivative). Using these resources, the CPMi will support the research efforts of the VUMC and VU community as it pertains to large-scale microbial analyses of isolates that extend beyond the laboratory-strain model. CPMi allows for real-time evaluation of microbial responses to new treatments, determination of the contribution of microbes to traditionally non-infectious diseases and a deeper understanding of individual host-microbe interactions. In addition to the provision of isolates and associated metadata, the CPMi will support the development of new projects through pilot awards, provide project consultation, bridge collaboration with other initiatives across campus and enhance scholarship through dedicated educational opportunities that sit at the intersections of basic and translational research and clinical microbiology.
If you're interested in querying MicroVU or VUIR, click here.
