New Leader at Sanford Health’s Imagenetics Research Program

Cornelius Boerkoel, MD, PhD, has joined Sanford Health as the executive director of the Sanford Imagenetics Research Center on Genomic and Molecular Medicine.

Boerkoel will use his more than 30 years of research and clinical expertise to investigate new ways of expanding Sanford Imagenetics through development of genetic and genomic medicine tools for primary care medical practice at Sanford Health. Sanford Imagenetics is an initiative that brings personalized medicine and pharmacogenetic testing into primary care for adult patients.

“Boerkoel’s experience as a physician scientist makes him a perfect fit for this role and a natural addition to Sanford Imagenetics,” says Gene Hoyme, MD, chief of genetics and genomic medicine at Sanford Health.

Boerkoel most recently served as a staff clinician and directed the translational laboratory at the National Institutes of Health Undiagnosed Diseases Program.  He is also a co-founder of the Rare Disease Foundation.

“Sanford’s vision for genomic medicine is thoughtful, logical and attentive to the interaction between genetic and ecological factors,” says Boerkoel.  “We have a great opportunity to revolutionize the integration of genetics within internal medicine.”

Boerkoel received his MD and PhD degrees from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland and completed his residency at the University of Washington in Seattle. He also completed a fellowship in clinical genetics at The Hospital for Sick Children of Toronto. Boerkoel joined Sanford Health in February.