Precision Medicine Consulting, LLC, is dedicated to improving public education about genetics, genomics, sequencing and implementing Precision Medicine in clinical trials to improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease, especially cancer. Precision Medicine Consulting specializes in lectures about genetics, genomics and Precision Medicine; genetics education for patients and families; sequencing data analysis and interpretation; and variant classification. Dr. Nickerson is an Associate Investigator and participant on Tumor and Molecular Review Boards in current trial protocols being conducted at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. An emphasis is placed on lectures to institutions hosting diverse ethnic groups and those located in smaller or more rural communities.

Clinical protocol: A Phase II Study of Olaparib in Patients with Metastatic/Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma with DNA-Repair Defects. Andrea B. Apolo, M.D., Principal Investigator. National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. Lead, Molecular Tumor Review Board. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03375307.

The focus of my work in the LTG, DCEG, NCI, NIH is to identify cancer genes that are frequently altered in urologic cancers (bladder, prostate, and kidney) using next-generation sequencing of tumor genomes, and PCR and Sanger sequencing of candidate genes. I have identified new frequently altered cancer genes including BAP1 in bladder cancer and TET2 in prostate cancer. Mutations correlate with clinical aspects of disease progression, alter highly conserved epigenetic activities, and often can be matched to a therapy for improved disease management. Studies of gene-gene relationships, protein function, signaling pathways, and the effects of cancer-related alterations on the tumor epigenome are in progress and planned.

Characterizing the genetic basis of disease with a focus on urologic cancers. Next generation sequencing of tumors and characterization of new cancer genes mutated in kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers.