In this newsletter, we are excited to announce the date and location of the 2023 International Conference on Newborn Sequencing (ICoNS) happening the week of October 2nd-6th in London. Additionally, we highlight the professional accomplishments of our Senior Genetic Counselor/Project Manager Carrie Blout Zawatsky, as well as our team at the Annual National Society of … Continued
“Sequencing at birth could provide a template—a book of life, if you will —to predict conditions or decide what medications to use for an entire lifetime,” says Robert Green, a medical geneticist at Brigham and Women’s and professor at Harvard Medical School who is co-leading the study.
Only about 7 percent of families approached to take part in the BabySeq Project of Brigham Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital eventually enrolled, with many citing a lack of interest in research, study logistics, and privacy concerns as reasons for declining to participate.
Listen to WBUR’s radio segment on the BabySeq Project and one of its publications.
Press Brief: The BabySeq Project reports that although more than 80 percent of approached mothers and fathers declined an offer for free genomic sequencing of their newborn, more than half of those parents were not interested in any research participation.
The true costs of genome sequencing don’t end with the technical production of A’s, T’s, C’s and G’s, and they don’t even end with the molecular interpretation of a few dozen or even a few hundred genes.
Casie Genetti, MS, CGC, a licensed genetic counselor with the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Boston Children’s Hospital is first author of a recently published paper on the BabySeq Project and author of this blog about parents’ receptiveness to genome sequencing.
Dr. Robert C. Green speaks at the 2018 Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) Precision Health Conference in San Diego, California about our efforts to gather empirical data on genome sequencing healthy individuals. Watch to learn more about G2P’s MilSeq, BabySeq, MedSeq, PeopleSeq, PGen and REVEAL projects. Click here for more on the conference.
“According to Green, the Hastings report tries to take a broad view and is well done and well resourced. But he questioned whether recommendations of this type may be premature, considering that the research arms of NSIGHT are still early in the process of collecting, analyzing, and reporting their data.”
Growing up in a small town in Illinois, musician Pete Wentz didn’t look or feel like others in his community, and never really felt that he fit in. So, he set out to create an identity of his own. On the latest episode of Spit, host Baratunde Thurston sits with Pete and medical geneticist and … Continued
VA researcher, Dr. Jason Vassy, hopes genetic tests can help in choosing the right drug to reduce high cholesterol.
Veritas Genetics says it has the largest collection of DNA for people who have lived to the age of 110.
Veritas Genetics is looking to sequence individuals with extraordinary skills in order to understand the genome that produced these talents. They are also looking to sequence infants and people who have lived to very old ages.
The third and final interview conducted with Dr. Robert Green about specific circumstances that could arise from genetic sequencing starting from infancy.
“The promises and peril that could come from reading your full genome.” Dr. Robert Green discusses some very important questions about what information you could find in your genome.
Laura Diamond’s 23andMe results noted she had a genetic mutation, BRCA 1, which could increase her risk for breast cancer. When she was screened a few years later, an MRI showed that she had developed stage 1 breast cancer. Direct-to-consumer testing paid off in her case, as she was aware of her condition and was … Continued
Rita Steyn, who has a family history of cancer, decided to order a home genetic testing kit to look for certain genetic mutations that might increase her risk for the disease. While this is something many people are doing, consulting a physician is still recommended in order to understand the real risks, and what the … Continued
For a few hundred dollars and a spit sample, you too could take a journey of genetic self-discovery. You may learn some things, but what are you giving away? Before you spit, it helps to know what you’re getting into.
Follow new parents Katherine and Jason as they meet with Genomes2People Genetic Counselors to learn about their baby boy’s genome sequencing results as part of our BabySeq Project.
The bloodTyper algorithm developed with MedSeq data can be used to prevent serious complications and transfusion-related deaths.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) can help identify rare blood-type donors and transfusion recipients who may be at risk of adverse reactions from red blood cell antigen mismatches.
Medical investigators have used data from the MedSeq Project to develop an effective computer program that can identify critical differences in individuals’ blood types with more than 99 percent accuracy.
Mitochondrial DNA is not the only thing we inherit from our mothers; we’re all a mix of traits inherited from both parents.
A study of two groups of 100 patients found no evidence that whole genome sequencing increases downstream healthcare costs. The story begins on Page 12.
Police were able to identify and arrest the Golden State Killer using GEDmatch, an open source genetic database. where individuals can upload and share their information for free, making it accessible for law enforcement in cases like these.
With much controversy still surrounding newborn genetic sequencing, many ask whether this is really the future of medicine. Parents of newborns share some of their experiences with the LA Times.
Spring saw accomplishments by team members and new advances in direct-to-consumer testing. Dr. Kurt Christensen provides compelling detail about econogenomics cost and benefits to genetic sequencing, and Megan Maxwell discusses genetic counseling and the MilSeq project on a podcast.
Dr. Robert C. Green talks about The BabySeq Project, the world’s first study of genetically sequencing newborns, and how genetic information can influence one’s medical care beginning from birth.
The second piece of a 2-part blog series authored by Dr. Robert C. Green. An early study found no problems related to unnecessary or harmful medical follow-ups after healthy people received their genome sequencing results. To read the first piece, visit: https://medium.com/@genomes2people/genome-sequencing-for-healthy-people-will-it-be-helpful-b984b94e3d3f
Findings in whole-genome sequencing don’t lead to excessive follow-up testing, an early study found.
“Whole genome sequencing is coming of age, but there’s fear that with these advancements will come rocketing health care costs,” said lead author Kurt Christensen, MPH, PhD, an instructor of medicine in the Division of Genetics at BWH. “Our pilot study is the first to provide insights into the cost of integrating whole genome sequencing … Continued
A pilot study found no significant increases in healthcare costs among people who received whole-genome sequencing results along with a family history report.
Consumers should consult their physicians or at least think through the consequences of learning medical information from at-home genetic tests, says Dr. Robert C. Green.
Physicians are becoming more concerned about direct-to-consumer testing providing confidential information to patients about their health.
“What you see in the consumer genetics market is that legitimate genetic findings, often from studies with very large sample sizes, are being turned around and marketed to people in a way that implies it’s going to be actionable for individuals,” says Harvard geneticist Robert Green.
The first piece of a 2-part blog series authored by Dr. Robert C. Green. Early results suggest that yes, whole genome sequencing may very well be substantially helpful to a significant number of healthy patients. To read the second piece, visit: https://medium.com/@genomes2people/genome-sequencing-for-healthy-people-will-it-be-harmful-d915cc08e634
Some genetic variations can be associated with physical responses to diet and exercise, says Dr. Robert C. Green, but it remains to be seen how large those effects are and what it really means for one’s health.
BabyGlimpse uses DNA from each parent to predict how their future child might look. It is one of the newest versions of direct-to-consumer testing, where patients get direct access to either their or their children’s genetic code. Dr. Robert Green shares his thoughts on the matter.
Genomic testing for Baby Cora, a participant of The BabySeq Project, revealed a disorder that might otherwise have gone undetected until life-long health issues presented themselves.
Winter highlights include Dr. Robert Green’s interview with Rob Reid on the pros and cons to genetic sequencing, G2P team members’ participation in the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) conference, and our Understand Your Genome Educational Event in Boston.
