In this NPR TED Radio Hour episode, our senior genetic counselor and project manager Bethany Zettler helps unpack how families interpret and react to genetic findings and the difficult decisions that can follow. The episode also discusses the growing use of DNA sequencing in healthy newborns to identify hidden disease risks, as Dr. Robert C. … Continued
This press release describes crucial findings from a joint study by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts General Hospital. The research team highlights systemic obstacles in primary care, lack of referral guidelines, and workforce shortages, and they call for interventions like decision-support flags in electronic health records, embedded genetic … Continued
Join us in celebrating Nina Gold and her team’s incredible work investigating the sensitivity of genomic newborn screening for treating inherited metabolic conditions. Editor-in-Chief Robert D. Steiner of Genetics in Medicine recognized this work as one of the most impactful pieces of genetics research published in 2025!
Ariadne Labs celebrates Dr. Robert Green’s TED Talk, which explores how preventive genomics could transform medicine by identifying disease risk before symptoms ever appear, even from birth. Drawing on the world’s first DNA screening of healthy newborns, he makes the case for a future of care focused on prediction and prevention, not just treatment.
This article explores the critical transition toward genomic implementation into precision health, examining the economic, clinical, and ethical frameworks required to integrate genomic data into everyday care. Featuring insights from G2P Director Dr. Robert Green and other leading experts, it challenges us to consider how we will responsibly navigate the most intimate information we possess.
In this blog post, Dr. Green reflects on his mainstage TED Talk, making the case that integrating whole-genome sequencing at birth could reveal thousands of treatable genetic risks early in life. Drawing on findings from BabySeq Project and the newly funded BEACONS Initiative, he shows how a single test at birth could give families actionable … Continued
Dr. Robert Green and Dr. Nina Gold were both featured in Mass General Brigham’s highlights in research for 2025!
APHL celebrates the launch of BEACONS, the nation’s first multi-state initiative evaluating whether whole genome sequencing (WGS) can be responsibly integrated into the U.S. newborn screening system. With a $14.4M NIH award and invaluable participation from public health labs across the country, BEACONS will test how WGS affects workflows, consent, data systems, and the actionable … Continued
In this episode, Dr. Jason Vassy explains how genomic tools are transforming Veteran health, from tailoring medications using DNA to improving prostate cancer screening. Drawing on VA-wide research efforts like MVP and the PROGRESS Study, he shows what personalized, preventive care could look like in the years ahead.
Dr. Robert Green joins the Unnatural Selection podcast to discuss the newly announced BEACONS project, which will test the feasibility of integrating whole genome sequencing into public health newborn screening programs. He shares how this initiative is moving from research to real-world practice and what it means for the future of preventive, precision medicine.
Dr. Green describes the impact of the novel, NIH-funded BEACONS study: “For more than 50 years, newborn screening has been a beacon of trust, saving children’s lives by analyzing a few drops of blood after birth. BEACONS brings the next generation of hope, giving families the option of genomic screening for hundreds of additional conditions … Continued
Funded by a $14.4 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund Venture Program, BEACONS will pilot the integration of whole genome sequencing into existing state newborn screening systems. The study will recruit, consent, and enroll up to 30,000 newborns in as many as 10 states over the next three years, a … Continued
Dr. Robert C. Green joined Dr. Vinod Gauba on the Decoded: The Future of Health podcast to discuss his pioneering research on genomic disclosure, the urgent need to close diversity gaps, and how blind spots in today’s data infrastructure pose both the biggest challenges and the greatest opportunities for precision medicine.
What if we could identify serious health risks from the very start of life, the moment a baby is born? In this talk, Dr. Robert C. Green explains how his team became the first to comprehensively sequence and analyze the DNA of healthy newborns, uncovering hidden risks for treatable conditions. The future of medicine, he … Continued
This November in Doha, the inaugural Franca Fund Gala will support ongoing preventative genomics research in honor of filmmaker Francesco Carrozzini’s late mother, Vogue editor Franca Sozzani. Carrozzini, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, and Vogue global editorial director Anna Wintour will host the gala, advancing genetic research led by Dr. Robert C. … Continued
What better way to lounge around, enjoying the dog days, than to catch up on G2P news? In this newsletter, G2P presents several summer reads (and a listen!), exploring the various ways genomics is shaping the future of healthcare—and what it means for all of us. Also, come join us at the 2025 Annual Meeting … Continued
‘DNA isn’t a crystal ball for every kind of illness’ but potential benefits outweigh fears, says geneticist, Robert C. Green, MD, MPH.
When Dr. Robert C. Green began BabySeq in 2013, it was the first program in the world to sequence healthy babies, and it was “totally radioactive,” he said. Screening can determine their risk for an ever-growing list of conditions — including ones we can’t do much about.
What if your DNA could help you avoid serious illnesses before they even start? In this episode of ‘Genetics for Healthcare,’ Rome Madison and Dr. Robert Green, medical geneticist at Harvard Medical School, discuss how cutting-edge genomics is transforming healthcare—from reactive to proactive.
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has selected 11 individuals for the 2025 class of the NAM Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence program. Funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, this collaborative program in partnership with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) offers a one-year, part-time experience for exceptional health professionals to advance their diagnostic … Continued
More than a decade ago, researchers launched the BabySeq Project, a pilot program to return newborn genomic sequencing results to parents and measure the effects on newborn care. Today, over 30 international initiatives are exploring the expansion of newborn screening using genomic sequencing (NBSeq), but a new study by researchers from Mass General Brigham highlights … Continued
Researchers hope the new list of identifiable conditions—treatable during or after pregnancy—will help families prepare for what’s ahead and give their babies the best possible start.
“The ability to diagnose and treat nearly 300 actionable genetic conditions in fetuses and newborns marks a significant milestone in modern medicine. From traditional heel stick tests to cutting-edge genomic sequencing, these advances empower families with critical information and life-saving options. As research continues to evolve, integrating these technologies into routine prenatal and neonatal care … Continued
“We saw a critical gap in prenatal care and an opportunity to define the genetic disorders that are treatable during this time,” said senior author Nina Gold, director of Prenatal Medical Genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. “These conditions are actionable — meaning that, empowered with … Continued
Researchers from Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School and Duke University School of Medicine have identified nearly 300 genetic disorders that can be treated before or immediately after a baby is born. This “treatable fetal findings list” could improve the diagnosis of genetic conditions in pregnancy and enhance the treatment options available for fetuses who have … Continued
Robert C. Green, MD, MPH presents the latest findings from the BabySeq Project at NextMed Health 2025 in San Diego. This year’s NextMed Health is focused on re-imagining the future of health and medicine.
BabySeq is everywhere! This G2P newsletter highlights several upcoming speaking engagements where G2P team members and collaborators will be presenting on the latest newborn sequencing research. Nina Gold, MD and Julie Yeo will be presenting on their recent work at ACMG 2025 in LA. Robert C. Green, MD, MPH will be speaking at NextMed Health, … Continued
José Manuel González de Aledo Castillo, PhD reflects on his experience rotating with the Genomes2People research program and working on the BabySeq project for a year as part of the IFCC Professional Exchange Program (PSEP). During his rotation, he supported recruitment, genomic analysis, and return of results for the BabySeq project. He also presented results … Continued
Over the past decade, genomic sequencing has become a tool for understanding the genetic underpinnings of sonographic abnormalities detected during pregnancy. However, many genetic conditions do not cause detectable physical changes, but can still have profound implications for the health of the fetus or newborn. In this talk, Dr. Gold will discuss a proposed framework … Continued
Thanks to you, we made it happen! Extending a heartfelt thank you for your support of the Genomes2People Research Program in 2024. This newsletter highlights milestones in 2024, including expanding the BabySeq project to 7 sites nationwide, hosting 15 research trainees, contributing to a successful International Conference on Newborn Sequencing, and completing the first ever … Continued
Robert Green, MD, MPH was interviewed by Gulf Times at the recent Precision Medicine and the Future of Genomics (PMFG) Summit in Doha, Qatar. Dr. Green discusses findings from the BabySeq Project and the potential for Qatar to be leader in genomics and precision medicine.
Bethany Zettler, MS, CGC is interviewed in this piece about direct-to-consumer genetic testing. “This is the first time in human history that we have access to our genetic data essentially at the push of a button,” says Zettler. This article dives into risks and benefits of at-home genetic testing, including issues of clinical significance, false … Continued
Our September newsletter features the 2024 meeting of the International Consortium on Newborn Sequencing, a recent publication in Nature Medicine featuring the BabySeq Project and a new blog post from guest blogger, Rev Carolyn Philstrom, about her son’s newborn screening story. We also highlight a recent article about the long-standing mentorship between Drs. Robert Green … Continued
“Mentorship and collaboration are both fundamental to academic medicine. They’re also central themes in the longstanding professional relationship between Mass General Brigham medical geneticists Robert Green, MD, MPH, a senior researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Nina Gold, MD, an early-stage faculty member at Massachusetts General Hospital.”
“Similar rates of genetic variants have been reported across demographic groups participating in the BabySeq1 and BabySeq2 projects, according to a new analysis presented at the National Society of Genetic Counselors annual meeting here last week.”
Robert C. Green, MD, MPH writes a piece for Lifestyles Magazine on the promise of preventive genomics. Dr. Green draws on his experience researching preventive genomics over the past 20 years and his experience launching Nurture Genomics, a start-up delivering genome sequencing to newborns and children.
“Scientists have made great strides in predicting the genetic risk of common diseases. Figuring out what to do with that information may be just as hard.” In this piece from Harvard Medicine, Robert Green, MD, MPH discusses the clinical utility of polygenic risk scores, drawing on his experience returning these results to patients in the … Continued
In this recent editorial, Nature Medicine argues that every baby deserves access to genetic screening. There are currently several international studies underway—including the Generation Study, Guardian Study, and the BabySeq Project—that are evaluating the utility and challenges of implementing routine expanded newborn genetic screening. Nature Medicine concludes that while newborn sequencing has great potential to … Continued
Visiting researcher, José Manuel González de Aledo Castillo, speaks on what newborn sequencing programs can learn from conventional newborn screening in his recent blog entitled “The Second Revolution of Newborn Screening.” He advocates for a future in which newborn sequencing and traditional newborn screening can work together in a complementary manner to ultimately reduce costs … Continued
Our June newsletter highlights the upcoming International Conference on Newborn Sequencing and several stories from recent trainees! Other updates include two new publications from G2P team members, Sophia Adelson and Anna Lewis. Finally, we give a shout out to the members of our team who will be Running4Research at the upcoming 10K in Boston.