Genomics Core Facility Hosts Genomic Impacts Conference

Ellen Clayton, Elaine Mardis, and Muin Khoury
answer questions during the event's panel discussion.

Last month, the Center for Genetic Medicine's Genomics Core Facility brought a wide range of genetics expertise to Northwestern for its "Impacts of Genomics on Translational Research and Medicine" conference, drawing more than 100 faculty, student and staff attendees. The event featured Elaine Mardis, PhD, from Washington University in St. Louis, Nancy B. Spinner, PhD, from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Ellen Clayton, JD, MD, from Vanderbilt University, and Muin J. Khoury, MD, PhD, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This is the second annual conference of its kind sponsored by the facility. According to the Core's director, Nadereh Jafari, PhD, these events help fulfill part of the facility's mission, which is not only to help researchers design experiments and produce and utilize genomic data, but also to educate them about new genomic technologies and their ethical and legal implications.

The first half of the event focused on advances in research, profiling Mardis's work on the genetic basis of cancer and Spinner's genome-wide association studies of pediatric genetic disease. Then the conversation shifted to social and ethical matters, as Clayton considered the consent issues surrounding genetic testing, and Khoury discussed translating research advances to improvements in public health.

Plans are currently underway for the Core's 2010 event, which will focus on the potential of next-generation sequencing and its impact on personalized medicine. Check back soon for details.

For more information about the Genomics Core Facility, its services, and pricing, please visit their website here.