Thank you for participating in the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank.

For the past 4 years, I’ve had the privilege to lead the KP Research Bank. While I will remain Senior Vice President for Research and Quality Measurement at Kaiser Permanente, I’m delighted to tell you that Devin Absher, PhD, recently joined Kaiser Permanente to lead the KP Research Bank.

Before coming to Kaiser Permanente, Devin was a leader and scientist at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, Alabama. His research has focused on the application of genomics to chronic diseases. At the HudsonAlpha Institute, he led the implementation of precision medicine in diverse health care settings.

Devin’s background makes him uniquely qualified to lead the KP Research Bank strategy in precision medicine and genomics, which will support and improve the health of Kaiser Permanente members and the broader community.

What’s new at the KP Research Bank? In this newsletter, you can read about:

• New research findings on the genetics of COVID-19
• Diversity and polygenic risk scores
• Recently approved KP Research Bank projects

We continue to invite you to complete a health and lifestyle survey, so we can get updated information about your general health. If you already took the survey — thank you! If you haven’t had a chance to take the survey yet, thank you in advance for completing it soon after you receive it.

Thank you for being a part of the KP Research Bank!

Wishing you a healthy, safe, and enjoyable holiday season.

Elizabeth A. McGlynn, PhD
Vice President,
Kaiser Permanente Research