Session Abstract
Session Synopsis: This session will describe two institutions’ experiences with implementing precision technologies such as NGS for the genetic profiling of cancer, as well as show how a multi-modal approach to understanding cancer ultimately improves care.
Session Chair Profile
M.S., Global Marketing Director – Cancer Genetics, Agilent Technologies
Biography
Rebecca is responsible for the strategic direction and day to day management of cancer genetics, NGS technology and molecular pathology teams. Rebecca joined Agilent in July of 2014 bringing more than 20 years of expertise gained from leading companies in life sciences, diagnostics and routine clinical testing. She received a Master’s Degree in Molecular Genetics from Wake Forest University. Prior to joining QIAGEN, Asuragen and Affymetrix to lead their marketing programs, Rebecca spent several years running a high-throughput, clinical molecular oncology laboratory.
Speaker Profile
Ph.D., FACMG, Clinical Director, Center for Personalized Diagnostics; Scientific Director, Clinical Cancer Cytogenetics; Division of Precision and Computational Diagnostics, Penn Medicine
Biography
Jennifer Morrissette received her PhD from the University of Buffalo and subsequently completed post-doctoral research in the molecular biology of tumor suppression at Harvard Medical School. Her clinical fellowship training was through the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia/University of Pennsylvania (CHOP/Penn) joint training program with board certification in Clinical Cytogenetics and Clinical Molecular Genetic Diagnosis through the ABMGG. She joined St Christopher’s Hospital for Children becoming adjunct faculty of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Drexel University, where she directed a clinical Cytogenetics laboratory. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is the Scientific Director of the Clinical Cancer Cytogenetics Laboratory and the Clinical Director of the Center for Personalized Diagnostics (CPD). Her interests lie in the implementation and analysis of clinical cancer genomic data to detect alterations relevant for patients treated at Penn Medicine. The Center for Personalized Diagnostics (CPD) is a clinical NGS laboratory and is certified through CAP/CLIA and has run over 8,000 clinical tumor specimens and over 1,500 research specimens in the past 4 years. Through a joint effort with the Cancer Risk Evaluation Program (CREP) the CPD has implemented a triage for mutations suspected to be germline in cancer predisposition genes.
Speaker Profile
M.D., Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina
Biography
Dr. Patel is a molecular pathologist who focuses on the implementation of next generation sequencing for somatic indications in cancer. Her work at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center includes support for UNCseq, a clinical trial that has enrolled over 2700 patients for large-scale genetic analysis of their tumors with subsequent evaluation utilizing a molecular tumor board. She also serves as a volunteer for professional societies such as the Association for Molecular Pathology and the College of American Pathologists to facilitate education for pathologists and clinicians regarding advanced molecular testing.
