The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved $5 million for a nonprofit research organization to develop a public health data system program that will leverage personalized medical data as well as data from clinical trials to help patients get the best care available.

The money for the agreement comes from the American Recovery Plan Act of 2021.

Khalilah Brown, vice president of medical affairs for the Southern Research Institute, spoke to the council about the institute’s Our Community Health Catalyst platform. She said the program will help expand precision medicine access to everyone in Alabama. According to the Nation Institute for Health, precision medicine “is an innovative approach that takes into account individual differences in patients’ genes, environments and lifestyles.”

According to the institute’s website, the program will “enable more providers to bring the best medical care to people across Alabama by giving them information about clinical trials that would meet their unique healthcare needs.”

Brown told the council that the institute’s program will take data from patients’ genomic testing and provide doctors a specific report for each patient that will guide the doctor in implementing a treatment plan.

“It’s allowing your provider to provide you care that speaks directly to who you are,” Brown said.

The institute in July 2023 received $20 million from the state to go toward the platform, and Brown said Jefferson County has also provided $7.5 million for a building that will house the new program.

According to city officials, the program will create 50 new jobs over five years.

Founded in Birmingham in 1941, Southern Research employs 250 scientists and professional staff. According to the group’s website, it has developed seven FDA-approved cancer drugs and tested more than half of active chemotherapies in the United States.

The vote to approve the agreement was unanimous, with council member Hunter Williams abstaining.

Council member Valeria Abbott said that while she voted to approve the agreement, she reminded the other members that the institute purchased the historic Quinlan Castle from the city, which was later demolished. Abbott said that at the time of the purchase, officials with the institute assured city leaders that the property would be preserved.

“SRI is a cautionary tale for people like us,” Abbott said. “When someone commits to do something and it’s not in writing, you’re out of luck.”

In other business, the council:

• Approved providing $150,000 to One Place Metro. According to city officials, the group will use the money to “expand the One Place facility to allow more criminal justice professionals from across Jefferson County to work together through this community violence intervention program to prevent future homicides that often begin as domestic violence cases to address the increase in violent crime and domestic violence during COVID-19.”
• Voted to give the Literacy Council $100,000 to “provide learner-centered programs in the City of Birmingham to increase literacy levels including adult basic literacy, adult basic literacy for justice impacted adults, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), family literacy, workforce development, GED preparation, digital literacy, soft skills, and volunteer tutor training.”
• Voted to give $100,000 to the Woodlawn Foundation Inc. to provide broadband internet access to District 4 underserved neighborhoods.
• Accepted the lump sum bid of James Paving Co. of Pelham in the amount of $720,087 for a Roebuck Golf Course path at Hawkins Park.
• Approved $100,000 to go to UAB’s If I Had a Hammer Pre-Apprenticeship Program, which will prepare Birmingham City Schools students to enter into the skilled trades.
• Approved resolutions recognizing the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and the Huffman Lady Vikings.
• Approved a resolution recognizing city employee Bill Jones, who will retire April 5 after 30 years with the city.