Help us to defend our title as the Best Science and Medicine Podcast! Go to podcastawards.com and select “DNA Today” in the Science and Medicine category. Bonus if you tweet/post that you nominated DNA Today (and tag us), then we will share your post and give you a shoutout on the show as a thank you. You have the power to get DNA Today nominated again! On Friday, June 24th, 2022, the US Supreme Court released its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organizationvoting to overturn Roe v. ...
Jul 01, 2022•45 min•Ep. 191
Happy Pride month! This episode we are continuing our celebrations! Last episode (#189) we interviewed two experts from PhenoTips, Orion Buske and Erica Peacock about building inclusive pedigrees. This episode is a fantastic follow up about how to provide 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 this episode. DNA Today’s host Kira Dineen is also one of the hosts of the PhenoTips Spea...
Jun 24, 2022•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 190
To celebrate Pride month our next two episodes will be focused on the LGBTQIA+ community. In this episode we explore building inclusive pedigrees with Dr. Orion Buske and Erica Peacock of Phenotips . The PhenopTips name might seem familiar as our host, Kira Dineen, is also the host of the PhenoTips Speaker Series, which is a live webinar about genetic topics (including a live Q&A), then it’s released as a podcast. Watch previous Speaker Series here , or search “ PhenoTips Speaker Series ” where ...
Jun 17, 2022•37 min•Ep. 189
Propionic and Methylmalonic Acidemia (PA and MMA), including an investigational therapy, are explored in this episode. Host Kira Dineen is joined by patient advocate Bryan Kelly, and HemoShear Therapeutics CMO, Dr. Pat Horn. Bryan Kelly is 36 years old and living with propionic acidemia. He is a great inspiration to patients and caregivers alike, finding ways to live a fulfilling life, despite the burdens of his disease. Bryan uses yoga and meditation techniques for pain relief and is active on ...
Jun 10, 2022•30 min•Ep. 188
This week we’re diving into Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) and highlighting the utilization of whole genome mapping in the diagnosis of FSHD. Joining us to explore these topics are June Kinoshita, Director of Research and Patient Engagement at the FSHD Society , and Rojan Kavosh, a genetic counselor by training who is currently a Genomic Testing Consultant at PerkinElmer Genomics . June Kinoshita joined the FSHD Society in 2012 and served as its Executive Director until September ...
Jun 03, 2022•32 min•Ep. 187
We are thrilled to share a brand new podcast that Kira Dineen co-produces, the n-Lorem “Patient Empowerment Program”. The podcast just launched so we wanted to share the pilot episode with you! This podcast focuses solely, exclusively, on the needs of nano-rare patients. These are patients that have a unique pathogenic variant (mutation) that affects only them or less than 30 people worldwide. The host of the show is Dr. Stan Crooke, who will be a familiar voice to you if you are a long time lis...
May 27, 2022•54 min•Ep. 188
Joining us this week is Dr. Yael Joffe, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of 3X4 Genetics , a genetic testing partner for providers that allows them to bring genetic testing into their practice so that they can provide patients with more personalized and DNA-based actionable insights that will help them live better, longer, and healthier lives. Dr. Joffe is also a fellow podcaster! She is the host of The Power of Genetics , a podcast that features inspiring conversations and practical advice ...
May 20, 2022•40 min•Ep. 185
In honor of Vision Health Month and Blindness Awareness Month, we are exploring Blueprint Genetics ’ My Retina Tracker program with Khalida Liaquat, who is a genetic counselor and the Senior Manager of Genomic Services at Quest Diagnostics. Our other guest is Ariana Lichtenstein, who is the Director of Business development at Blueprint Genetics. Blueprint Genetics is a genetic testing company focused on inherited diseases. With a patient-first mindset, they deliver high-quality genetic testing...
May 13, 2022•33 min•Ep. 184
Last episode (182) we were joined by Dr. Eric Green, the Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the NIH. And we chatted about the recent completion of the human genome. To continue this conversation, I am joined by the co-founders of the Telomere to Telomere Consortium which lead this project! Dr. Karen Miga is an Assistant Professor in Biomolecular Engineering at The University of California, Santa Cruz. She is also the associate director of the UCSC Genomics Instit...
May 06, 2022•36 min•Ep. 183
On this week’s episode of DNA Today we’re discussing the past, present, and future of the Human Genome Project and the Telomere to Telomere Consortium with Dr. Eric Green, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Human Genome Project is an international scientific research project that began in 1990, with the goal of determining the base pairs that make up human DNA, and identifying, mapping, and sequencing all of the g...
Apr 29, 2022•42 min•Ep. 182
To celebrate DNA Day we are joined by Dr. Stephanie Ryan! In this podcast episode, Dr. Ryan discusses science education and communication, especially making science understandable for kids. To keep the celebrations going we will be co-hosting a virtual event on DNA Day itself, Monday, April 25th at 6pmET! During this special DNA Day event we will do a live DNA experiment with Dr. Stephanie Ryan. You can follow along at home to do the experiment with us! You can register for the event here . Step...
Apr 22, 2022•37 min•Ep. 181
We are excited to share that Kourtney Kardashian recently featured in DNA Today in an article on Poosh, “ How Genetics Play the Ultimate Role in Health ”. Our host, Kira Dineen, shares insight on genetic counseling and epigenetics. The Chief Medical Officer of Mitera , Dr. Kathy Salari, joins the show. Mitera is a telehealth company that offers a unique care model that uses remote technologies and subspecialty medical oversight to responsibly democratize access to reproductive genetic testing. O...
Apr 15, 2022•34 min•Ep. 180
This week we’re bringing you a special episode of DNA Today! Our host, Kira Dineen, was recently a guest on The Science of Everything Podcast , discussing genetic testing with host, James Fodor. Kira thoroughly enjoyed her experience being a guest on this podcast, so we’ve decided to also release the episode on the DNA Today podcast feed! To give you a teaser… we covered a range of genetic testing topics from the process and science behind the testing, types of conditions that can be tested for,...
Apr 08, 2022•59 min•Ep. 179
Dr. George Emanuel shares about single-cell spacial genomics in this podcast episode. Dr. Emanuel is the Scientific Cofounder and Director of Technology and Partnerships at Vizgen , a biotechnology company that is dedicated to pioneering the next generation of spatially resolved transcriptomics profiling tools to provide new insight into the biological systems that underlie human health and disease. Spatial genomics is a new frontier in molecular biology, which aims to assay the genomic informat...
Apr 01, 2022•32 min•Ep. 178
World-renowned medical geneticist Dr. Madhuri Hegde, joins the show to explore whole genome sequencing (WGS). She is the Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Global Lab Services at PerkinElmer , a global leader in genetic and genomic testing focused on rare diseases, inherited disorders, newborn screening, and hereditary cancer. Dr. Hegde is also a board certified diplomate in clinical molecular genetics by the American Board of Medical Genetics, and an ACMG Fellow. Previously, ...
Mar 25, 2022•36 min•Ep. 177
We are ecstatic to introduce this week’s guest, Lauren Potter! You might know Lauren as Becky Jackson from the TV show Glee. She was in all six seasons playing a character who, like her, has Down Syndrome! After graduating high school and attending college in California, Lauren began acting, starring in her first film at the age of 16. In 2012 she was nominated for a SAG award in the Ensemble in a Comedy Series category for her work in Glee, and she also received the SAG/AFTRA Harold Russell Awa...
Mar 18, 2022•38 min•Ep. 176
This week we’re joined by Dr. Brian Shirts to discuss ConnectMyVariant , a service that dedicated to helping patients and families understand unique genetic variants and provides different avenues of informing family, or even people distantly related, of possible inherited risk of diseases like cancer. Dr. Shirts is an Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Washington. His research focuses on integrating complex genetics knowledge into clinical care. His main goal is to ...
Mar 11, 2022•34 min•Ep. 175
This week we’re joined by Gregory Kellog of Fulgent Genetics. In this episode we explore pharmacogenomics. Gregory is the Director of Genetic Counseling at Fulgent Genetics , a technology-based genetic testing company. Prior to serving as the director, Gregory served as the Genetic Counseling Manager at Fulgent, and worked in various roles for other genetic testing companies over the last 7 years including Recombine, Phosphorus, and Illumina. He completed his master of science in human genetics ...
Mar 04, 2022•31 min•Ep. 174
Joining us for the last episode of rare disease month is Keith McArthur. Keith is the co-founder and CEO of CureGRIN , a non profit rare disease organization. He is also a published author and he’s a fellow science podcaster, Unlocking Bryson’s Brain (one of our favorite podcasts!). But most importantly, Keith is the loving father of Bryson, who was diagnosed with a GRIN1 related disorder. Keith McArthur got a second chance at life in 2017 when his little sister donated her kidney for transplant...
Feb 25, 2022•31 min•Ep. 173
DNA Today’s host Kira Dineen is also one of the hosts of the PhenoTips Speaker Series . This monthly live webinar focuses on relevant genetics topics by featuring discussions with thought leaders and experts in genomic medicine. In this podcast episode we are sharing an installment of the PhenoTips Speaker Series, “Advances in Rare Disease Diagnosis”, which is hosted by Kira’s colleague, Dr. Pawel Buckowicz. With over 6,000 rare diseases, reaching diagnosis is a long and arduous process for the ...
Feb 18, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 172
In honor of Rare Disease Month we are continuing to highlight different rare diseases. This week we explore Farber Disease with Dr. Alex Solyom, Senior Vice President of Rare Disease Development at Aceragen , and Katie Crosby, is a certified genetic counselor and the Associate Director of Patient Engagement. Dr. Alex Solyom is a pediatrician with real-world expertise in rare diseases, sphingolipid biology, inflammation and pediatric rheumatology. He has over 13 years of clinical and translationa...
Feb 11, 2022•35 min•Ep. 171
To celebrate February as rare disease month we will be interviewing leaders in rare diseases throughout the month! In this episode we explore new research in one of the mitochondrial disorders, primary mitochondrial myopathy (PMM). Joining us for this conversation is Dr. Alejandro Dorenbaum, the Chief Medical Officer of Reneo Pharmaceuticals , who is currently studying an investigational therapy for PMM. Dr. Dorebbaum is a board-certified allergist-immunologist with over 25 years of experience i...
Feb 04, 2022•39 min•Ep. 170
On this week’s episode of DNA Today, we are joined by 2 scientists from Phase Genomics . Dr. Ivan Liachko is the Founder and CEO of Phase Genomics and has worked in the genetic/genomic research field for over 20 years. He has authored over 20 peer reviewed papers and created multiple patents specializing in the field of microbial genomics and synthetic biology. Dr. Liachko is one of the original inventors of the Hi-C assembly and metagenomic deconvolution and has over a decade of experience in s...
Jan 28, 2022•32 min•Ep. 169
Enter a giveaway on our social media! Win free enrollment to a 3-hour course in the Allelica PRS clinical academy covering the research behind PRS to clinical applications. You can enter by looking for us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. This has been posted at 9am on January 21st and will end on February 4th. Our guest this week is Giordano Bottà, a biologist and bioinformatician, who is joining us to discuss polygenic risk scores. Giordano earned a PhD in Public Health and he has extensive...
Jan 21, 2022•36 min•Ep. 168
DNA Today’s host Kira Dineen is also the host of the PhenoTips Speaker Series . This monthly live webinar focuses on relevant genetics topics by featuring discussions with thought leaders and experts in genomic medicine. In this podcast episode we are sharing an installment of the PhenoTips Speaker Series, “The Future of Cancer Genetics”. Thanks to advancements in genome sequencing, physicians are equipped with improved knowledge on the causes of cancer, as well as alternative treatment options ...
Jan 14, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 167
Spotify just released a new feature, the ability for listeners to rate podcasts. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast PLEASE rate on Spotify ! This is how new listeners will find and enjoy the show. In order to rate you need to use the Spotify app and listen to at least 30 seconds of the podcast. Under the logo you will see “No Rating”, click on that and give us 5 stars. Since this is a brand new Spotify feature rating now will help us rank higher among science podcasts! We also wanted to give a shouto...
Jan 07, 2022•44 min•Ep. 166
In this week’s episode, our host, Kira Dineen, is joined by Dr. Sandra Balladares to explore utilizing sequencing to assess inherited cancer risk. On This Episode We Discuss: Sandra’s personal experience with breast cancer The difference between Sanger Sequencing and Next Generation Sequencing Sequencing versus genotyping Various number of genes on a hereditary cancer panel How the availability and accessibility of genetic testing differ around the world Dr. Balladares is currently the HLA Typin...
Dec 17, 2021•35 min•Ep. 165
This week our host, Kira Dineen, is joined by Dr. James Beck and Dr. Ignacio Mata to discuss Parkinson’s Disease and diversity in genetic Parkinson’s research. On This Episode We Discuss: How Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects the body Genes that play a role in the development of PD Genetic testing for family members of patients with PD The PD GENEration project and how it is helping people with PD Underrepresentation of Hispanic people in PD genetic research How to achieve more inclusivity with r...
Dec 03, 2021•37 min•Ep. 164
On this episode we are joined by 2 guests, Rachel Pastiloff and Krystle Davis, who share their insight on Prader-Willi Syndrome. On This Episode We Discuss: Genetic causes of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) Challenges faced by caregivers of patients with PWS PWS symptom management Harmony Bioscience’s phase 2 clinical study in PWS Requirements for study participation Check out some commonly asked questions and additional caregiver perspectives on Prader-Willi, and follow Rachel on Instagram to stay ...
Nov 19, 2021•30 min•Ep. 163
DNA Today’s host Kira Dineen is also the host of the PhenoTips Speaker Series. This monthly live webinar focuses on relevant genetics topics by featuring discussions with thought leaders and experts in genomic medicine. In this podcast episode we are sharing an installment of the PhenoTips Speaker Series, “The Future of Genetic Counseling”. This episode features Past President of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Amy Sturm, and Past President of the American Board of Genetic Counseling...
Nov 12, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 162
