Metagenics Funds New Health Institute, Hires New Science Chief

ALISO VIEJO, Calif.Metagnenics and Jeffrey Bland, PhD., have announced the launch of the new Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI), which will provide information on personalized medicine to address the growing global burden of chronic disease. Bland will serve as president of PMLI, transitioning from his current post as chief science officer (CSO) at Metagenics; the company has hired John Troup, PhD., to serve as CSO of its MetaProteomics research division.

Bland founded PLMI after what he called a nearly 30-year dream. He said PMLIL will raise global awareness of the role personalized medicine can play in chronic disease and worldwide healthcare. It is important, he stated, for PMLI to contribute to the reduction of chronic illness, which is "bringing many countries to their knees." PMLI will be based in Seattle but will work with key leaders, academics, scientists, legislators, physicians and informed consumers around the world. "This institute will unite researchers, clinicians, health science educators, patient advocacy groups, medical institutions, medical societies, and regulatory and legislative groups to further the adoption of lifestyle medicine," Bland said.

The non-profit institute starts with an unrestricted grant from Metagenics, where Bland has served as CSO for 12 years. In addition, he has served as CEO of the biotech company KinDex Therapeutics; research director at the Linus Pauling Institute for Science and Medicine; co-founder (with his wife) of the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM); and founder of HealthComm International, which trained healthcare providers on the application of functional medicine in clinical practice and merged with Metagenics in 2000.

In addition to serving as CSO at Metagenics, Bland was president of MetaProteomics. He will maintain a position on the Metagenics Board of Directors and work with the company on various outreach and educational programs. Honoring the impact Bland has had on the science and R&D of nutrigenomics and on Metagenics, the company noted its Gig Harbor, Wash.based MetaProteomic lab was being renamed the Dr. Jeffrey S. Bland Science Center.

Fred Howard, CEO of Metagenics, called PLMI "revolutionary and innovative" and said Bland is the right time to launch the  institute. Forming this institute is an exciting step forward in helping to pave the way for personalized lifestyle medicine to be viewed as a key element in global healthcare systems.

Howard also extended praise for the incoming Troup, who most recently served as VP of global research and development for Pfizer Nutrition Inc. Under his leadership, our world renowned research organization will enter a new era, expanding their groundbreaking work in the science of nutrigenomics and the discoveries that are helping people around the world to improve their health and reverse chronic illness," Howard said.

Troup issued his support for personalized medicine and said Metagenics is making breakthroughs that will drive adoption and success of this approach to health. Metagenics pioneering team of scientists and physicians leads the world in scientifically validating this new approach to combating chronic illness and in developing nutritional therapies that are used by healthcare practitioners around the world," hep said. "Its an honor to join them at a time when their work is so vitally important.