Barbara Fortini joined KGI in July 2017 to lead the Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomic Data Analytics (MSGDA) program. Within the KGI curriculum, Fortini teaches four courses: Human Molecular Genetics, Human Genomics, Human Genomics NGS Lab, and Functional Genomics. Fortini’s research is focused on how non-coding genomic variation affects colorectal cancer risk.

Prior to joining KGI, Fortini served as a visiting assistant professor of biology at the W.M. Keck Science Department of the Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges. Fortini completed her postdoctoral training at the Keck School of Medicine of USC in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. She received her BS in 2002 and her PhD in 2011 at the California Institute of Technology.

Dr. Fueger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology in the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute at City of Hope and Associate Director of the Cancer Metabolism T32 Training Program at City of Hope.  He also serves as Director of the Comprehensive Metabolic Phenotyping Core in the Beckman Research Institute, which provides services for investigators with interests in diabetes, metabolism, and cancer. Dr.  Fueger received his BS and MS degrees in biological sciences and exercise physiology, respectively, from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.  He was awarded his PhD in Molecular Physiology & Biophysics from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine for his integrative physiological studies on skeletal muscle glucose metabolism.  He was a JDRF-funded postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University, where he became an expert in islet biology.  Previously, he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine and Co-Director of the Bioengineering Interdisciplinary Training for Diabetes Research T32 Program with Purdue University.  Dr. Fueger is the recipient of numerous awards including a Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) from NIH, Virendra B. Mahesh Award for Excellence in Endocrinology from the American Physiological Society, and Arti Hurria Research Mentoring Award from City of Hope.  His current research interests are in pancreatic islet biology and hepatic metabolism, including the impact of fatty liver disease on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, a form of liver cancer. Fueger Lab

Kurt Jose, the Founder and CEO of IndiviDx, a biotechnology-driven clinical laboratory specializing in Precision Medicine, has dedicated over a decade to bridging the gap between science and everyday care. IndiviDx’s mission is to leverage genetics and provide clinicians with insights that enhance their understanding of each individual’s unique response to medications, ultimately shaping more personalized treatment plans.

At IndiviDx, he seamlessly integrates biotech innovation with clinical expertise to promote more personalized and human-centered care. By empowering individuals with data-driven insights, IndiviDx ensures that each clinician’s treatment plan is tailored to the unique needs of the patient.

Kurt’s vision extends beyond the laboratory, as he strives to create a future where mental health treatment is as personalized and precise as the individuals it serves. Through his commitment to combining science and compassion, he aims to revolutionize mental health care, ensuring that every treatment is guided by the individual behind the data.

Lawrence Palinkas is a Professor in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California, San Diego. A medical anthropologist, he is an expert in the areas of preventive medicine, cross-cultural medicine and mental health services research. He is particularly interested in behavioral health, global health and health disparities, implementation science, and community-based participatory research. His research has included studies of psychosocial adaptation to extreme environments and disasters; mental health needs of older adults; cultural explanatory models of mental illness and service utilization; HIV and substance-abuse prevention in Mexico; evaluation of academic-community research practice partnerships; and the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices for delivery of mental and behavioral health services to children, adolescents and underserved populations. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, National Institutes of Health, the MacArthur Foundation, and the William T. Grant Foundation. His current research encompasses implementation and sustainment of mental health services and behavioral health prevention programs, effects of climate change on mental health, and climate adaptation in vulnerable communities. Among Palinkas’ scholarly achievements are the Antarctic Service Medal from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Navy in 1989; deputy chief officer of the Life Sciences Standing Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research in 2002; chair of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute’s External Advisory Council in 2003; co-lead of the Creating Social Responses to a Changing Environment Grand Challenge for Social Work; and membership on committees of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. He is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, Society for Social Work and Research, and Society for Applied Anthropology. He is the author of more than 520 publications.

Christian Santana, MSW, ASW, is a Student Support Case Manager at Pitzer College. She began her career in counseling in 2017 when she worked with adolescents in substance abuse outpatient treatment. She pursued her master’s in social work in 2019 after noticing that almost all of the adolescents she worked with had a history of trauma and mental health issues. She has been working at Pitzer since 2024 and enjoys working with young adults. Christian has experience working with various age ranges, socioeconomic statuses, veterans, and substance use.

Kurt Jose, the Founder and CEO of IndiviDx, a biotechnology-driven clinical laboratory specializing in Precision Medicine, has dedicated over a decade to bridging the gap between science and everyday care. IndiviDx’s mission is to leverage genetics and provide clinicians with insights that enhance their understanding of each individual’s unique response to medications, ultimately shaping more personalized treatment plans.

At IndiviDx, he seamlessly integrates biotech innovation with clinical expertise to promote more personalized and human-centered care. By empowering individuals with data-driven insights, IndiviDx ensures that each clinician’s treatment plan is tailored to the unique needs of the patient.

Kurt’s vision extends beyond the laboratory, as he strives to create a future where mental health treatment is as personalized and precise as the individuals it serves. Through his commitment to combining science and compassion, he aims to revolutionize mental health care, ensuring that every treatment is guided by the individual behind the data.