logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2025
1h 1m

How Genetic Counseling Is Evolving Beyon...

Matt Burgess
About this episode

Lauren Giannetti-Sferrazza, a genetic counselor from New Jersey, shares her journey transitioning from clinical practice to industry and discusses the evolution of genetic counseling roles. Throughout the conversation, she offers insights into balancing professional responsibilities and personal experience as a pregnant genetic counselor preparing for childbirth. • Clinical burnout as a catalyst for moving to industry positions • Shifting perceptions of industry roles from "the dark side" to valuable career paths • Potential for broader patient impact through industry versus direct clinical care • Balance between job security in public health versus higher compensation in industry • Implementing gender-inclusive care in genetic testing companies • Evolution of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and the rise of "gender reveal" culture • Point-of-care genetic testing models in cancer care • Need for genetic counselors to support clinician-ordered testing • Balancing ideal practices with practical realities in genetic healthcare delivery

Support the show

Demystifying Genetics is sponsored by TrakGene https://www.trakgene.com/

Up next
Oct 6
Telehealth, Mainstreaming & the Modern Counsellor. Demystifying Genetics with Dawn Allain. (Favourite gene - GNAS)
Host Matt Burgess speaks with Dawn Allain, a genetic counsellor and leader at Ohio State University, about how genetic counselling has evolved. They discuss telehealth, mainstreaming of genetic testing, and how education and competency-based training must adapt for today’s genomi ... Show More
48m 7s
Sep 29
Reinventing Clinical Trials: How Sano Genetics Puts Patients First
Host Matt speaks with Dr. Patrick Short, scientist and CEO of Sano Genetics, about building a patient-centered genomics company, the challenges of designing and recruiting for clinical trials, and the evolving role of diagnostics in precision medicine. They discuss Short’s resear ... Show More
49m 47s
Sep 22
Hidden Codes: Hereditary Melanoma, CDKN2A and the Families Behind the Genes
Dr. Aideen McInerney-Leo explores hereditary melanoma (CDKN2A), diagnostic disclosure in Turner syndrome, mainstreaming genomics, gene therapy, and the expanding role of genetic counsellors in research and patient care. Through clinical stories, family perspectives and practical ... Show More
44m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Genetic Testing for Sports Performance
In this episode, I discuss genetic testing for sports and athletic performance. I describe the history of sports genomics and the search for genes that determine strength, endurance, and other performance markers. I explain how to interpret genetic test results, including how man ... Show More
1h 43m
May 2025
Behaviors That Alter Your Genes to Improve Your Health & Performance | Dr. Melissa Ilardo
My guest is Dr. Melissa Ilardo, Ph.D., professor of biomedical informatics at the University of Utah. We discuss the interplay between genes and behaviors, including how certain behaviors can improve resilience by changing gene and organ function, as well as natural selection eve ... Show More
1h 54m
Oct 2024
Using NGS to refine risk stratification in T-ALL; a novel gene therapy approach in severe α-thalassemia; molecular taxonomy of MDS
In this week's episode we'll learn about refining risk stratification in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL. After that, we'll discuss a novel gene therapy approach in severe alpha-thalassemia. Investigators describe an innovative mouse model and an effective gene therap ... Show More
21m 48s
Feb 2022
Episode 005: Heme Path Series Pt. 4 - Molecular Testing
Molecular Testing PearlsIn Part 4 of our Heme Path series, we thoroughly examine the details of molecular testing and how it relates to hematologic and oncologic malignancies I. Molecular Testing BasicsA. Provides a means of assessing patient’s genotypes, specifically at smaller ... Show More
30m 36s
May 2025
EP 185: From newborn screening to lifelong data in an evolving genomics landscape with Madhuri Hegde of Revvity
This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Madhuri Hegde, SVP and Chief Scientific Officer of Revvity. They discuss Revvity’s advances in ultra-rapid clinical-grade sequencing, opportunities, challenges, and global inequities in newborn screening, and the dilemma of ... Show More
40m 44s
Nov 2024
Genetic Leukodystrophies Mimicking CNS Inflammation - Part 1
In the first part of this two-part series, Dr. Justin Abbatemarco talks with Dr. Jennifer L. Orthmann-Murphy about a practical approach to genetic leukodystrophies, focusing on the importance of genetic testing, identifying red flags in patients, and navigating the complexities o ... Show More
25m 41s
Sep 13
Ancestors and Identity: Unraveling the Genetics of the Levant with Dr. Pierre Zalloua
What do our genes really reveal about who we are? In this episode, Dr. Pierre Zalloua, geneticist and author of Ancestors, takes us deep into the DNA of the Levant. We explore how personal experience, history, and science intersect to shape identity. From Phoenician expansion to ... Show More
43m 34s
Nov 2020
Damn, Those Genes Look Good on You!
On this week’s episode, we are shifting gears to talk about GMOs. We set the stage by discussing the meaning of the term genetically modified (GM), and some of the different ways organisms are genetically modified, including historical methods such as selective breeding and hybri ... Show More
48m 58s
Oct 3
Genetics: Gene Expression
In this episode, we explore key topics in genetics, including how sex-linked and autosomal traits are inherited. We'll break down inheritance patterns using real-world examples, like X-linked recessive diseases, and walk through Punnett square problems to show how these traits ar ... Show More
52m 43s
Nov 2024
Cancer Cells Gone Wild: Real Biology Exposed
In this episode, Dr. Jessica Steier and Dr. Sarah Scheinman discuss the complexities of cancer with Dr. Joe Zundell, a cancer biologist. They explore the definition of cancer, its prevalence, and the hallmarks that characterize cancer cells. The conversation delves into the mecha ... Show More
59m 38s