Positive therapeutic results are often determined by characteristics of the individual as much or more than the nature of the therapeutic agents or treatments whether pharmacological, physical, cognitive or behavioral. Individual characteristics that matter include developmental stage, genetic predisposition, family history, sex, ethnicity, social conditions, healthcare disparities, and other preexisting or environmental factors. Focusing resources in this area would capitalize on existing strengths at Binghamton University in the areas of life-span development/aging, genetics, evolution and evolutionary medicine, and socio/environmental factors across multiple academic units, and could provide an avenue for critical expansion in areas as such epidemiology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, immunopharmacology, women's health, medical anthropology and pharmacogenetics. Collectively, this focus would help integrate across and unite other themes within the health sciences by adding critical consideration of individual differences, cross-cultural differences and personalized medicine.
