The genomics team

In this video, course educator Dr Michelle Bishop gives an overview of the professionals involved in providing genomic diagnoses for patients. She explains that the genomics team is made up of four groups of professionals:

• clinical geneticists (medically trained doctors) and genomic counsellors (trained counsellors with expertise in genomic science), who see patients in clinic and order genomic tests;

• laboratory scientists – including clinical scientists and genetic technicians – who process samples, perform testing and interpret results from testing; and

• clinical bioinformaticians, who have expert biological and computer programming skills and run software pipelines to ensure that each genome is interrogated in the right way in order to try and answer the clinical question.

Michelle also explains that the genomics team is increasingly working with specialists from across other specialties, not just genomics – such as cardiology and neurology – in order to interpret results accurately for patients.

In parts 2 and 3 of this week we will learn more about what these skilled professionals do in an attempt to find answers for patients.