DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

#249 Men in Genetic Counseling

In this episode we are joined by two genetic counselors to explore the experience of being a male in our field. 
 
John Zimmerman, MS, CGC, is a certified genetic counselor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. John completed his genetic counseling training at the University of Minnesota in 2017 and has since worked as a clinical genetic counselor with the UT Southwestern Cancer Genetics Program. Recently, he has taken on the additional role of Director of Fieldwork for the UT Southwestern Genetic Counseling Program.  John is an active member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, serving on the Access and Service Delivery Committee. He is also the current president of the Texas Society of Genetic Counselors. 
 
Daniel Riconda, MS, CGC, (he/him) is a certified genetic counselor and Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, Texas who received his M.S. in Genetic Counseling from Sarah Lawrence College in 1988. He obtained certification by the American Board of Medical Genetics in 1990 and became certified as a founding member of the American Board of Genetic Counseling in 1993. He is also a certified Resolve Through Sharing (RTS) bereavement counselor. In 2016 he joined the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at BCM and School of Health Professions to lead the coordination, design, and development of a Master of Science Genetic Counseling program and is now serving as the Program Director. He has been serving as a project manager of Consultagene, an online tele-genetic counseling and educational resource at BCM, since 2016. He currently sees patients for cancer genetic counseling in the Adult Genetics Clinic at BCM. He has served as an At-Large Board member for the NSGC BOD (2015-2016) and has previously served as a member of that organization’s ethics committee, public affairs committee and co-chair of their subcommittee on licensure. He served a 5 year term (2002-2006) as an (elected) board member of the American Board of Genetic Counseling (and as chair of the Accreditation committee for 3 years), served as the program services committee chairperson for the Florida March of Dimes, and has served on both the Florida & Texas public affairs committees for the March of Dimes. In 2010, he was selected as one of nine-videotaped “Master Genetic Counselor’s” for training videos that were distributed to all of the Genetic Counseling training programs across North America. He has been actively involved in genetics education and licensure activities at the local, state and national level. He is currently an invited member of the ASHG Membership Engagement Committee, is a member of the ACGC Standards Committee, and served on the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD) DEI Committee. In 2022 he received a Norton-Rose-Fulbright Faculty Excellence Award for Educational Leadership. Prior to joining Baylor, he developed and coordinated prenatal, pediatric, specialty clinics and oncology related genetic counseling services at Winnie Palmer and Arnold Palmer Hospitals in Orlando, Florida for more than 2 decades.
On This Episode We Discuss:
Navigating a profession that is predominantly female as male genetic counselors
Unique perspectives and contributions that male genetic counselors bring to the field, and how it benefits patients and the overall genetic counseling profession
Challenges and stereotypes our guests have faced as male genetic counselors and how they’ve addressed or overcome them
How the percentage of male genetic counselors has changed over the years
Steps that can be taken to encourage more men to enter the genetic counseling field and to support their growth and success once they are part of the profession
Advice for men considering a career in genetic counseling or those who have recently entered the profession
How male GCs are impacting the average salary
How our guests see the role of male genetic counselors evolving and contributing to the advancement of the genetic counseling field
 
Links to resources and references we mentioned in this episode:
Minority Genetics Professional Network (MGPN)
NSGC's Professional Status Survey
Chen A, Veach PM, Schoonveld C, Zierhut H. Seekers, Finders, Settlers, and Stumblers: Identifying the Career Paths of Males in the Genetic Counseling Profession. J Genet Couns. 2017 Oct;26(5):948-962. doi: 10.1007/s10897-017-0071-1. Epub 2017 Mar 14. PMID: 28289854.
Kopesky JW, Veach PM, Lian F, Leroy BS. Where are the males? Gender differences in undergraduates' interest in and perceptions of the genetic counseling profession. J Genet Couns. 2011 Aug;20(4):341-54. doi: 10.1007/s10897-011-9365-x. Epub 2011 Apr 20. PMID: 21505919.
Barnett, C., Myers, M. F., Spaeth, C. G., Pilipenko, V., & Bucheit, L. A. (2020). The gendered pay gap in genetic counseling. Journal of genetic counseling, 29(2), 182–191. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1236.
 
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on August 18th, 2023 for our 250th episode featuring a writer from Kira’ favorite tv show/podcast! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge 250 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.
 
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com. 

#248 Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency

In this episode we are learning about Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, an X-linked genetic disorder that prevents the breakdown and excretion of ammonia. 
When ammonia builds up in the body, it can rise to toxic levels where it affects the central nervous system. This allows ammonia to accumulate in the bloodstream, rising to toxic levels where it affects the central nervous system. OTC is the most common of the urea cycle disorders.
We are joined by three OTC experts with professional and lived experience! Dr. Aimée Dudley is a Senior Investigator at the Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI). Her laboratory performs genetic research that is used to aid variant interpretation. Dr. Andrea Gropman is the Principle Investigator of the Urea Cycle Rare Disease Consortium (UCDC) and the Division Chief of Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics and Neurogenetics at Children’s National Hospital. Tresa Warner provides her personal experience and shares her insight as the mother of a child with OTC deficiency. She also serves as the president of the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation. 
 
Aimée Dudley, PhD, is a Senior Investigator and the Director of Educational Outreach at PNRI. She earned her BS in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her PhD in genetics from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Dudley was an Alexander Hollaender Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. George Church’s laboratory at Harvard Medical School. In addition to her roles at PNRI, Dr. Dudley is a scientific advisor to FenoLogica Biosciences, a scientific instrumentation company founded based on technology developed in her lab. She serves as an Associate Editor at PLoS Genetics. Dr. Dudley also co-chairs the Washington Research Foundation’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Selection Committee. As PNRI’s Director of Educational Outreach, she partners with community groups to bring high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented communities to PNRI to explore science as a career. She also mentors graduate students through her affiliate appointment in the University of Washington’s Department of Genome Sciences, and as a faculty member in the Molecular Engineering Graduate Program and the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program.
 
Andrea Gropman, M.D., FAAP, FACMG, FANA, is Chief of Neurogenetics and Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital and a Professor of Pediatrics, Neurology, Genomics and Personalized Medicine at George Washington University. Dr. Gropman is the Principal Investigator of the Urea Cycle Disorders Consortium (UCDC) and serves leadership roles on the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network and in genetic, metabolic and neurology societies. She has published over 200 articles and reviews and contributed chapters to classic textbooks in genetics and neurology. Dr. Gropman is one of the associate editors of the classic textbook, Swaiman’s Pediatric Neurology and co-author of the textbook, X & Y Chromosomal Variations. She received her M.D. from the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, completed a residency in Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD and subsequent fellowships in neurology/child neurology at George Washington University and Children’s National, Washington, D.C., clinical and biochemical genetics at the National Institutes of Health, and a mini fellowship in neuroimaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy at the Huntington Medical Research Institute in Pasadena, CA. She is board certified in neurology/child neurology, genetics, biochemical genetics and neurodevelopmental disabilities.
 
Tresa Warner is a parent of a child living with OTC and the President of the Board of Directors of the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the identification, treatment, and cure of urea cycle disorders. The foundation was formed in 1988 by a handful of parents whose children were affected by urea cycle disorders and has since become a nationally recognized resource of information and education for families and healthcare professionals.
On This Episode We Discuss:
Urea Cycle disorders, commonalities and symptoms
OTC deficiency overview
Diagnosis and treatment of OTC deficiency
OTC deficiency and newborn screening panels
Variants of uncertain significance in the OTC gene
New potential treatments and cures of OTC deficiency
Challenges faced by people with OTC deficiency and their families and actions that people with OTC deficiency and their families can do to cope with the challenges of the disease
The role of the Urea Cycle Rare Disease Consortium in research and the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation in supporting people and families with OTC deficiency
 
Links we mention in the episode:
Article: The functional impact of 1,570 individual amino acid substitutions in human OTC
Press release: Novel Genetic Screening Tool Offers Hope for Babies Born With Life-Threatening Metabolic Disorder
Website: The Dudley Lab
Website: Urea Cycle Disorders Consortium
Website: National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on August 11th, 2023 where we’ll be joined by Dan Riconda and John Zimmerman to discuss men in genetic counseling in the third installment of our GC history series! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 245 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

#247 Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

In lieu of this episode, I want to provide you with other DNA Today episodes about DMD. 
 
In Episode #156 I interview Rich Horgan. He opens up about his brother’s experience living with DMD and how it inspired him to start Cure Rare Diseases, which is an organization that focuses on developing personalized treatments for rare diseases. 
 
In Episode #202 I interview two experts about DMD. Genetic counselor Ann Martin who serves as the VP of Community Research and Genetic Services at Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. Our other guest is world-renowned geneticist Dr. Madhuri Hegde from Revvity (formerly PerkinElmer Genomics). In this episode we focus on the genetics of DMD and the treatments. 
 
Both episodes are linked for you in the show notes. Enjoy!

#246 Genetic Counseling Program Applications: Part 2

PART TWO, stream episode #245 before this episode! 
 
Some of our most popular episodes over the years of DNA Today are those that provide insight into the genetic counseling graduate program application process. So much has changed since we recorded those episodes back in 2018-2022 (many programs have removed the GRE requirement, interviews are virtual, etc.) these episodes include #87 #97 #101 #193 and #194. 
 
That’s why we are revisiting these topics. We are joined by two newly matched genetic counseling students who are starting their graduate programs this fall, Maya Patel and Corinne Merlino! Last week we shared Part 1 of this episode where we discussed mentorship, obtaining letters of recommendation, taking gap years, and more! Definitely check it out before you listen to this episode! 
 
Maya Patel will be a student in Thomas Jefferson University’s program. She earned her degree in diagnostic genetics at The University of Connecticut (which is how we connected, I graduated from the same program 6 years ago). Maya is a first-time applicant and is going right from undergrad into her GC program, so she has lots of insight to offer about navigating the application process during a busy senior year.
 
Corinne Merlino’s name is probably familiar to you as she is our Communications Lead! Corinne writes the blog posts for each episode and leads our social media team. Corinne is also a Clinical Research Coordinator at The Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center at The University of Pennsylvania where she has worked for 3 years. She is continuing her career at Penn by joining their genetic counseling class this fall! Corinne was a second-time applicant this cycle and after not matching and taking multiple gap years, she can speak to how to spend that time in an intentional and meaningful way.
 
Congratulations to both of our guests on matching, this is especially exciting for our host, Kira Dineen, who had the privilege of mentoring both Maya and Corinne through their application process! Become a mentee of Kira’s here.
 
Special shoutout to our listeners who submitted questions for our guests to answer, Mahfuz, Grace, Anna, Elizabeth, Crystal, Sophie, Kelci, Riley, Christina, and Aciana.
In the second part of our conversation we discussed….
Crafting a great personal statement
Networking 
Applying multiple times
Tips for taking care of yourself 
Helpful advice our guests were given and advice they’d like to share with future applicants 
During the show, Corinne and Maya talked a lot about how mentorship was a vital tool during their application cycle. One of their mentors was (and continues to be) our host Kira Dineen. If you would like to have this mentorship, join our Patreon here! 
 
Keep up with our guests during their grad school journeys by following Corinne on Twitter and LinkedIn and Maya on LinkedIn. Both Corinne and Maya would be happy to answer additional questions about their application processes, just send them a DM!
 
You can also check out this αrticle where Maya talks about her experience as a student in the Diagnostic Genetics Program at UConn, and stay tuned this Fall when we’ll be sharing Corinne’s interview on the It Happened To Me Podcast!
 
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on July 28th, 2023 where we’ll be joined by Dr. Susan Apkon & Melissa Gibbons for a conversation about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 245 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian. 
 
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com. 

#245 Genetic Counseling Program Applications: Part 1

Some of our most popular episodes over the years of DNA Today are those that provide insight into the genetic counseling graduate program application process. So much has changed since we recorded those episodes back in 2018-2022 (many programs have removed the GRE requirement, interviews are virtual, etc.) these episodes include #87 #97 #101 #193 and #194. 
 
That’s why we are revisiting these topics. We are joined by two newly matched genetic counseling students who are starting their graduate programs this fall, Maya Patel and Corinne Merlino!
 
Maya Patel will be a student in Thomas Jefferson University’s program. She earned her degree in diagnostic genetics at The University of Connecticut (which is how we connected, I graduated from the same program 6 years ago). Maya is a first-time applicant and is going right from undergrad into her GC program, so she has lots of insight to offer about navigating the application process during a busy senior year.
 
Corinne Merlino’s name is probably familiar to you as she is our Communications Lead! Corinne writes the blog posts for each episode and leads our social media team. Corinne is also a Clinical Research Coordinator at The Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center at The University of Pennsylvania where she has worked for 3 years. She is continuing her career at Penn by joining their genetic counseling class this fall! Corinne was a second-time applicant this cycle and after not matching and taking multiple gap years, she can speak to how to spend that time in an intentional and meaningful way.
 
Congratulations to both of our guests on matching, this is especially exciting for our host, Kira Dineen, who had the privilege of mentoring both Maya and Corinne through their application process! Become a mentee of Kira’s here.
Special shoutout to our listeners who submitted questions for our guests to answer, Mahfuz, Grace, Anna, Elizabeth, Crystal, Sophie, Kelci, Riley, Christina, and Aciana.
In the first part of our conversation we discussed…
What inspired our guests to become genetic counselors
What types of people/characteristics programs look for in their applicants
Criteria to use when narrowing down programs to apply to
The importance of mentorship during this process
Applying while in undergrad versus taking gap years
Approaching recommenders to write letters on your behalf
Academic components of an application
Obtaining GC experience (shadowing, informational interviews)
 
The second part of our conversation will focus on crafting your personal statement(s). This part 2 will be dropped on the podcast feed next Friday on July 21st. Can’t wait to listen? Head over to our YouTube channel where both parts were released together in one video (so fast forward to about 34 minutes to pick up where you left off). 
 
During the show, Corinne and Maya talked a lot about how mentorship was a vital tool during their application cycle. One of their mentors was (and continues to be) our host Kira Dineen. If you would like to have this mentorship, join our Patreon here! 
 
Keep up with our guests during their grad school journeys by following Corinne on Twitter and LinkedIn and Maya on LinkedIn. Both Corinne and Maya would be happy to answer additional questions about their application processes, just send them a DM!
 
You can also check out this αrticle where Maya talks about her experience as a student in the Diagnostic Genetics Program at UConn, and stay tuned this Fall when we’ll be sharing Corinne’s interview on the It Happened To Me Podcast!
 
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on July 21st, 2023 where we’ll be sharing the second installment of this series on genetic counseling program applications! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 245 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian. 
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

#244 Genetic Counseling History: The 70s

Step into our time machine as we transport you back to the early heydays of genetic counseling (aka the 70s) with our esteemed guest, Virginia Corson. Virginia is a veteran genetic counselor who has weathered the changing tides of this field over the last 50 years, and she's here to share her incredible journey with us. Virginia has spent the vast majority of her career as a prenatal genetic counselor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has written countless publications with original research, case reports, book chapters, and professional society statements. She earned her Master’s of Science through the OG genetic counseling program, Sarah Lawrence College (which I also graduated from a few years ago).
Get ready to gain an insightful perspective into the pioneering days of the profession, the challenges of a nascent field, and how Virginia carved her niche in a time devoid of the technological conveniences we take for granted today.
 
We'll be journeying through Virginia's academic odyssey at Sarah Lawrence College's one-year program, packed with clinical rotations and field work. Experience the nascent use of ultrasound in prenatal care and how the advent of molecular testing revolutionized prenatal testing, despite the rather limited scope of genetic counseling during the late 1970s. Virginia’s wealth of knowledge is sure to enlighten us all about the critical importance of the field's continued evolution and development.
 
In the last leg of our conversation, Virginia uncovers the intriguing aspects of her various clinical rotations and field work, discussing the glaring absence of molecular genetics and cancer genetics courses at the time. She stresses the significance of lifelong learning for genetic counselors and provides a sneak peek into a typical day in her early career. We'll also delve into the evolution of genetic counseling sessions, the ethical and legal considerations during the 1970s, and even a surprising moment when Virginia found herself on the front cover of the Wall Street Journal. So, buckle up for this enlightening chat with Virginia Corson, and get ready to unravel the captivating world of genetic counseling!
 
Episode Chapters 
 
(0:00:02) - Exploring Genetic Counseling in the 1970s (12 Minutes)
 
Virginia Corson, a seasoned genetic counselor with decades of experience in the field, shares her journey of learning about genetic counseling in the 1970s, a time when the field was still in its infancy. We discuss the landscape of the field at the time, with very few places hiring genetic counselors and no computers or emails to make job search easier. Virginia recounts how she sent out 40 individual cover letters to potential employers and eventually got a job offer from Johns Hopkins. We explore the challenges of entering a new field and the changes the profession has gone through over the last 50 years.
 
(0:11:37) - Prenatal Testing and Genetic Counseling Evolution (6 Minutes)
 
Virginia Corson shares her experience of attending Sarah Lawrence College's one-year program, which was packed with clinical rotations, field work, and electives. We also explore the early uses of ultrasound in prenatal care and how molecular testing has allowed for more accurate prenatal testing. In the late 1970s, genetic counseling was limited in terms of testing and topics available.
 
(0:17:39) - Genetic Counseling in the Past (8 Minutes)
 
Virginia Corson talks about the various clinical rotations and field work she completed as part of the one-year program at Sarah Lawrence College. She had the opportunity to visit Mount Sinai Hospital, Albert Einstein Hospital, and Creedmoor Institute, where she interviewed people at-risk for Huntington's Disease. Virginia also discusses the lack of molecular genetics and cancer genetics courses at the time and the importance of continuing education for genetic counselors. She shares what a typical day was like for her, which included taking family histories, discussing testing options, and navigating the four-week waiting period for amniocentesis results.
 
(0:25:50) - Evolution of Genetic Counseling (8 Minutes)
 
We discuss the changes in genetic counseling sessions over the years, from the early 1970s when carrier screening was much simpler to the present day, where there are hundreds of tests offered. Virginia Corson shares the story of her 15 minutes of fame when she was featured on the front cover of the Wall Street Journal in the late 1980s. The journalist wanted to make the article more personal and interviewed her, and how it ended up being a front page article. We also explore the ethical and legal considerations in the 1970s, such as the debate around whether genetic counselors could counsel independently without a doctor present, as well as the establishment of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. Finally, we talk about the exams Virginia and the other geneticists took, which was the same core exam and then a separate genetic counseling exam.
 
This episode is part of our Genetic Counseling History series backed by the National Society of Genetic Counselors’ Late Career Special Interest Group. Be sure to check out Episode 234 and Episode 235 which explore the first few NSGC conferences and the formation of the American Board of Genetic Counselors. 
 
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on July 14th! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 240 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.
 
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com. 
 

#243 PhenoTips: Navigating Barriers in LGBTQIA+ Genetic Care

We are closing out Pride Month with a recent installment of the PhenoTips Speaker Series. DNA Today’s host Kira Dineen is also one of the hosts of the PhenoTips Speaker Series. This live webinar focuses on relevant genetics topics by featuring discussions with thought leaders and experts in genomic medicine. This episode is the 24th installment of the PhenoTips’ Speaker Series, “Navigating Barriers in LGBTQIA+ Genetic Care”. 
 
A 2018 Harvard study found that nearly 1/6th of LGBTQIA+ adults have experienced discrimination in a healthcare setting, while 1/5th have avoided seeking medical care out of fear of discrimination. Efforts have been made in recent years to improve the cultural competency of genetic professionals, however, barriers to compassionate care for LGBTQIA+ individuals persist. In an environment of changing healthcare legislation and increased hostility towards the LBGTQIA+ community, creating a safe space for patients is more challenging than ever.
 
Panelists:
Dr. Jehannine Austin (they/them) Executive Director of BC Mental Health, Professor in Psychiatry & Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia 
Andy Cantor, CGC (she/they/he) Senior Genetic Counselor & Certified Trainer on Trans and Non-Binary Competency at Labcorp 
Josephine Giblin, CGC (she/her) Genetic Counsellor at NHS Bristol
Katie Gallagher, CGC (she/her) Assistant Program Director at Sarah Lawrence College
 
In this episode’s panel discussion moderated by Kira Dineen, our panel of international experts and advocates discusses:
 
Protecting patients during times of unprecedented legislation
Creating psychologically safe and inclusive environments
Supporting access to equitable care
Representation in family history collection
Resources and best practices to support LBGTQIA+ colleagues and patients
 
Last year we also celebrated pride month with PhenoTips. In Episode #189 we interviewed two experts from PhenoTips, Orion Buske and Erica Peacock about building inclusive pedigrees. We also released last year’s PhenoTips Speaker Series Pride installment on Episode #190, which focuses on providing gender affirming care, specifically in the genetic counseling space. As a queer member of the LGBTQIA+ community, our host Kira Dineen is excited to share all these episodes, including this week’s! 
 
These webinars are sponsored by PhenoTips. During these live events we interview leaders in the field of genetics and moderate questions live from the audience. Check out upcoming installments by heading over to PhenoTips.com where you can also stream all the webinars from the last three years. 
 
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on July 7th where we continue our History of Genetic Counseling Series, this time joined by seasoned genetic counselor Ginny Corson! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 240 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

#242 Misattributed Paternity with Richard Wenzel

In 2020, a direct-to-consumer DNA test revealed that our guest Richard Wenzel's father was not his genetic father. Moreover, evidence indicates that his conception resulted from a sexual assault of his mother and that his pediatrician (who was also his mother's obstetrician) helped conceal this crime; unfortunately, all involved individuals are deceased. Since that troubling discovery, Richard has dedicated his efforts towards increasing education and awareness among medical professionals about the harms of false genetic narratives, identifying opportunities to improve the care provided to children/adults incurring a false narrative, and urging for research. 
Richard Wenzel, Pharm.D., CPPS, is an accomplished clinician, researcher, educator, lecturer, and mentor in the profession of pharmacy, whose expertise includes hospital practices, headache disorders, and patient safety, as well as the evolving realm of direct-to-consumer genetic testing. He has authored or co-author approximately 50 peer-reviewed publications in medical and pharmacy journals including Phase III and post hoc medication research, systematic literature reviews, clinical narratives, and opinion piece articles.He has also given more than 100 presentations at national, state, and local-level medical professionals’ (pharmacist, physician, physician assistant, nursing) meetings as well as lectures at U.S. and international Colleges of Pharmacy. Richard is a recipient of the American Pharmacists Association’s "One-to-One Patient Counseling Award" and is a two-time nominee for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy "Master Preceptor" award and a university’s "Preceptor of the Year" recipient, having successfully provided clinical rotation site education to more than 600 pharmacy students!
 
On This Episode We Discuss:
Richard’s personal journey of discovering his misattributed paternity
How this discovery has affected his perception of his relationship with his mother and childhood experiences
Wrestling with the discovery of misattributed paternity when the parents are deceased
Guidelines that healthcare providers follow regarding the disclosure of misattributed parentage
Benefits and harms that need to be considered when deciding whether to disclose misattributed parentage
How the discovery of misattributed parentage can impact individuals, particularly children, and their sense of identity
Available support and resources for individuals who have discovered misattributed parentage, and what more needs to be done to assist them
Advice for others who are in the midst of a not-parent-expected discovery and for healthcare providers on the other side of this
 
Richard Wenzel’s Resources
 
American Medical Association Code on Ethics of Collecting Family History
American Academy of Pediatrics’ Article on the Pediatrician’s Role on Patient and Family Centered Care 
American Academy of Pediatrics “Value of Family Medical History and adoption as a barrier to accurate history”
Jodi Girard’s Narrative & Kara Rubenstein Narrative 
American Society of Human Genetics Position Statement and Article
American Society for Reproductive Medicine Position Statement
American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Position Statement 
Organizations include donordeceived.org and womenagainstpaternityfraud.org
Shepard, A., Diamond, D., Willard, L., Staples, J., Martin, K., & Witherspoon, N. (2022). Discovering Misattributed Paternity After DNA Testing and its Impact on Psychological Well-Being and Identity Formation. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 6(3), 189-211. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/12611
Avni C, Sinai D, Blasbalg U, Toren P. Discovering your presumed father is not your biological father: Psychiatric ramifications of independently uncovered non-paternity events resulting from direct-to-consumer DNA testing. Psychiatry Res 2023;323:115142. 
Lawton B L, Pyott L C, Deyerin K R,  Foeman A K. Experiences of Misattributed Parentage Communities: Impacts of Discovering New Familial Kinships. Journal of Family History 2023: epub ahead of print; doi.org/10.1177/03631990231156176.  
Grethel, M., Lewis, J., Freeman, R., & Stone, C. (2022). Discovery of unexpected paternity after direct-to-consumer DNA testing and its impact on identity. Family Relations, 1– 17. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12752
Klugman-Rabb, Jodi, "A Qualitative Study on the Effect of Misattributed Parentage Experiences" (2023). Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship. 354.https://scholar.dominican.edu/all-faculty/354
 Family Secrets: Exploring unexpected paternity through direct-to-consumer DNA ancestry tests.  Gina Daniel, Masters Thesis, https://millersville.tind.io/record/6411/files/Gina%20Daniel.pdf
Semikhodskii A, Makarova T, Sutyagina D. Paternity pseudo-exclusion caused by tetragametic chimerism in a gestational surrogacy case. Eur J Med Genet. 2023 Jun 3;66(8):104799. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2023.104799
Sheets KM, Baird ML, Heinig J, Davis D, Sabatini M, Starr DB. A case of chimerism-induced paternity confusion: what ART practitioners can do to prevent future calamity for families. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2018 Feb;35(2):345-352. doi: 10.1007/s10815-017-1064-6.
Li D, Liao C. Incidental discovery of nonpaternity during prenatal testing of genetic disease. Fetal Diagn Ther 2008;24:39-41.  “that pleases those who do not wish to disclose [MP] yet accurately states the laboratory’s results for legal purposes”
 
We close out Pride month on June 30th with our next new episode “Navigating Barriers in LGBTQIA+ Genetic Care”, this is an episode drop from the PhenoTips Speaker Series, also hosted by Kira Dineen. New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 240 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our

#241 NBC’s Maury Povich on Paternity Testing

With Father’s Day coming up this Sunday, it’s only fitting that this week’s guest is famous for coining the phrase, “You are (or are not) the father!” We sat down with the one and only Maury Povich live in NBC’s Stamford Studios (where Maury has his own show on the network) for a discussion about paternity testing!
 
Maury is a household name and an icon in the world of talk shows. For over 30 years, he has been bringing the truth to light and resolving some of the most challenging and sensitive issues on national television with the Maury Show. He has become known for his expertise in paternity testing, helping people across the United States determine the truth about their biological relationships. He is a trailblazer in his field, and his show has become synonymous with the catchphrase, "You are the father!" 
On This Episode We Discuss:
What motivated Maury pursue hosting a talk show featuring paternity testing
The origin of the line, “You are (not) the father” 
The emotional impact of revealing paternity results to the participants, and what it's like to witness these highly charged moments
What motivates people to come on the show to have paternity testing performed publicly, rather than seeking private testing
The perspective of the pregnant person seeking paternity testing versus the perspective of the alleged father, and the challenges this presents when performing the tests
Psychological factors that may be at play when people seek paternity testing, and how these can impact the outcomes of the testing?
Stories that stand out to Maury in his decades of providing paternity tests
The frequency of maternity tests and the circumstances on the show that lead to questionable maternity
Maury’s advice for individuals who are considering seeking paternity testing, either privately or through a public platform like his show
 
You can keep up with The Maury Show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat! You will also see Kira featured on the channels commenting on genetics behind paternity testing including commentary on a few virtual segments of The Maury Show. 
 
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on June 23rd, 2023! New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 240 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.
 
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com. 

#240 Young Adult Patient Advocacy with Sneha Dave

Joining us for this episode is Sneha Dave, Founder and Executive Director of Generation Patient, an organization that facilitates events, online programs, and advocacy initiatives for young adults living with chronic and rare conditions to ensure that they have the opportunities and resources to thrive.
 
Sneha Dave (she/her) graduated from Indiana University in May 2020 where she majored in chronic illness advocacy as well as journalism. She created the Generation Patient and its program the Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network (CCYAN) to create support systems for adolescents and young adults with chronic conditions across the U.S. and internationally. She is proud to work with a team composed entirely of young adults with chronic medical disabilities and to keep Generation Patient transparent and independent from the pharmaceutical and insurance industry.
 
Sneha has completed an undergraduate research fellowship in health policy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She has also interned at numerous places such as Pfizer Global Headquarters in health economics and outcomes research for Inflammation and Immunology. Sneha has spoken on Capitol Hill, featured nationally on C-SPAN, and is a past contributor for U.S. News and World Report. She has served on the Democratic National Committee Disability Policy Subcommittee and she is part of the Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council, an independent appraisal committee of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review. Sneha also serves on the patient engagement collaborative for the FDA. She was previously a national policy fellow at RespectAbility and now serves as the youngest director on the board for the national nonprofit. Sneha has won multiple awards for her advocacy work, so we are pleased to have her featured here on DNA Today! 
 
Shoutout to our Communications Lead, Corinne Merlino, for recommending Sneha Dave to be our guest. 
On This Episode We Discuss:
Sneha’s personal experience with ulcerative colitis and how it led to becoming a patient advocate
The mission and goals of Generation Patient and the Crohn's and Colitis Young Adults Network
Some of the biggest challenges facing young adults living with chronic and rare conditions today
The importance of increased representation of young adults in clinical trials and the impact it can have on the development of treatments
Potential harms of DTC pharma advertising on Instagram and TikTok to young viewers and what can be done to mitigate that harm
How the Generation Patient team ensures that the organization remains independent from the pharmaceutical and insurance industry
How Sneha and her team at Generation Patient engages with the FDA
Advice for young adults living with chronic or rare conditions who may feel isolated or unsupported in their experiences
Advice for other young professionals that are seeking ways to be more involved and gain experiences in healthcare
 
You can learn more about Generation Patient and their different initiatives at the links below:
Generation Patient's website
Community and resources for college students with chronic conditions
Registration for Generation Patient's 2023 Virtual Health Advocacy Summit
The Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network
 
Be sure to follow Generation Patient on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and our guest, Sneha Dave, on Twitter!
 
Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on Friday, June 16th, 2023 where our host Kira Dineen sits down with a household name and an icon in the world of talk shows. New episodes are released every Friday. In the meantime, you can binge over 240 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  
 
DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.
 
See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com. 
 
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