DNA Dialogues: Conversations in Genetic Counseling Research

About DNA Dialogues: Conversations in Genetic Counseling Research

In DNA Dialogues we dive into the intricate world of genetic counseling research. Join us as we peel back the layers of groundbreaking articles from the Journal of Genetic Counseling, bringing you exclusive discussions with the authors themselves. Each episode sparks a vibrant exchange, exploring the latest discoveries, ethical dilemmas, and technological advances that are shaping the future of medical genetics. From navigating complex testing decisions to building trust with diverse communities, listen in as we unpack the science, challenge assumptions, and celebrate the human connection at the heart of genetic counseling research. So, grab your headphones, unravel the double helix, and prepare to be captivated by the array of voices in DNA Dialogues, a podcast where the blueprint of life meets intimate human conversation.

Publisher

Journal of Genetic Counseling (Jehannine Austin, Naomi Wagner, Khalida Liaquat, Kate Wilson and DNA Today’s Kira Dineen)

Category

education · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Feb 2024

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

36 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   #32- Exploring new approaches to service delivery: video tools and consumer experiences

   This episode explores genetic service delivery and various ways genetic counseling can be incorporated. Segment 1: How to Reduce Time to Genetic Testing: A Video-Based Approach in the Inherited Cardiac Conditions Service Guest Bios Dr Lisa Bryson is a Clinical Genetics Registrar at the Centre for Genomic Medicine in Glasgow, with a background in paediatrics. She is due to complete her clinical genetics training shortly and will take up a Consultant Clinical Geneticist post in New Zealand. She has been involved in a number of research projects alongside her clinical training, including the GenVid pilot study and as an Associate Principal Investigator for the GENROC study. Her research interests include rare disease and the clinical application of genomic medicine. Dr Ruth McGowan is a Consultant in Clinical Genetics (West of Scotland, Centre for Genomic Medicine), Honorary Clinical Associate Professor (University of Glasgow) and member of the Developmental Endocrinology Research Group (DERG), affiliated to University of Glasgow. Her key interests are Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Rare Conditions and Disorders of Sex Development. She is an active member of the Network for Inherited Cardiac Conditions Scotland (NICCS) and was previously Co-chair of the Scottish Rare Disease Implementation Board.  Dr Ruth McGowan is the Lead Clinical Geneticist for the West of Scotland Inherited Cardiac Conditions service. She has been Chief or Principal Investigator of numerous research projects including the MRC/CSO funded ‘Scottish Genomes Partnership’, the ‘Scottish Participation in the 100K Genomes Knowledgebase’ and the ‘Genetic Investigation of Rare Disorders’ study. In this segment we discuss: - Use of a video-based genetic counseling pathway in the UK NHS for patients at risk of an inherited cardiac conditions - The impact of GenVid pathway on barriers to genetic services - Integration of genetic counseling and digital tools Segment 2: Consumer Experiences and Perceptions of Genetic Counseling in Provider-Mediated Genetic Testing Guest Bios: Madison Kilbride, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utah. She received her doctorate from Princeton University and was a fellow in the Postdoctoral Training Program in the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) of Genetics and Genomics at the University of Pennsylvania. Her scholarship examines ethical issues surrounding genetic testing, particularly those raised by consumer genetic testing. Katie Lauro, MS, LCGC is a general genetics and cancer genetic counselor at Genome Medical, a telehealth genetic counseling service. She received her BS in Human Biology from Michigan State University and her MS in Genetic Counseling from the University of Utah Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling (UUGPGC). Katie is grateful for the opportunity to share and discuss her research during her time in the UUGPGC, which was published in the Journal of Genetic Counseling in July 2026. In this segment we discuss: - Provider-mediated genetic testing and its distinction from traditional DTC testing. - The ENLITE study and its focus on consumer experiences with genetic testing - Consumer perceptions of genetic counseling and barriers to access - Future directions for integrating genetic counseling into broader healthcare settings Would you like to nominate a JoGC article to be featured in the show? If so, please fill out this nomination submission form here. Multiple entries are encouraged including articles where you, your colleagues, or your friends are authors. Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Dialogues! In the meantime, listen to all our episodes Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Dialogues”. For more information about this episode visit dnadialogues.podbean.com, where you can also stream all episodes of the show. Check out the Journal of Genetic Counseling here for article

2. 

   27 Aug 2026

   #31-Trust & Timing: Parental Decisions About Secondary Findings

   Understanding the decision of parents to opt-out of medically actionable secondary findings offered through genome sequencing Guest Bios: Robin Hayeems is a Senior Scientist in Child Health Evaluative Sciences (CHES) at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and an Associate Professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) at the University of Toronto. She is trained in genetic counselling public health and bioethics, health policy research, and health services research.. Her research focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of genomic screening and diagnostic tools for the maternal-child health context. As a member of several provincial advisory committees, her work informs and is informed by policy development in this area. Abby Hansen is a Master of Science in Genetic Counselling student at the University of British Columbia and a Clinical Research Project Assistant at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Her research focuses on exploring patient experiences with genetic testing and the factors that shape genetic testing-related decision-making. Drawing on both her research experience and clinical training, Abby is passionate about providing compassionate, patient-centred care, and supporting individuals and families in understanding complex genetic information and making informed healthcare decisions. In this episode we discuss: - Exploring the unexpectedly high opt-out rate for medically actionable secondary findings in Genome-Wide Sequencing Ontario (GSO) and how Canadian guidance surrounding non-diagnostic results differs from U.S. standards. - Unpacking how the emotional workload of managing acute medical crises leads some parents to decline secondary findings to avoid living under a "cloud of worry," balancing proactive healthcare with current family peace of mind. - Challenges around pediatric autonomy, parental consent misunderstandings regarding data re-analysis, and the clinical case for flexible, two-step disclosure models. - Educational tools, scripts, and capacity-building strategies designed to improve genomic literacy among non-genetics providers as genome sequencing expands into mainstream care Resources - Genome Sequencing Ontario URL website Would you like to nominate a JoGC article to be featured in the show? If so, please fill out this nomination submission form here. Multiple entries are encouraged including articles where you, your colleagues, or your friends are authors. Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Dialogues! In the meantime, listen to all our episodes Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Dialogues”. For more information about this episode visit dnadialogues.podbean.com, where you can also stream all episodes of the show. Check out the Journal of Genetic Counseling here for articles featured in this episode and others. Any questions, episode ideas, guest pitches, or comments can be sent into DNADialoguesPodcast@gmail.com. DNA Dialogues’ team includes Jehannine Austin, Naomi Wagner, Khalida Liaquat, Kate Wilson and DNA Today’s Kira Dineen. Our logo was designed by Ashlyn Enokian. Our current intern is Vanaja Chavva.

3. 

   30 Jul 2026

   #30-Reflecting Real Patient Experiences: Innovative Clinical Research Methods

   In this episode, we are exploring innovative research methodologies in genetics, including narrative and visual methods, conversation analysis and body mapping. Our guests highlight using these methods to drive inclusive and diverse research as well as providing a more nuanced understanding of the lived experiences of families. Segment 1: Defining joy after a genetic diagnosis: A narrative inquiry Guest Bio: UNC Greensboro Genetic Counseling Program graduate Jordan Miller earned a masters degree in genetic counseling in 2025 and currently works as a prenatal and cancer genetic counselor at Prisma Health in Columbia, South Carolina. In addition to clinical practice, Jordan serves as part of the faculty for the University of South Carolina Genetic Counseling program, where she is passionate about supporting and mentoring future genetic counselors. Following a personal experience of finding joy after a devastating family diagnosis, Jordan developed a deep passion for exploring how joy, hope, and humanity can remain central to patient care. Her work and advocacy focus on fostering meaningful conversations about compassionate care and the ways healthcare professionals can help patients and families find moments of connection and resilience during difficult experiences. In this segment we discuss: - The use of qualitative narrative inquiry and in-person observations, rather than standard surveys, to capture the visceral, underreported experience of joy following a family genetic diagnosis. - The "FERN" grounded framework (Focusing on the present, Embracing life, Redefining joy, and Normalizing the journey) and how its core themes emerged from family narratives. - How healthcare providers and communities can foster joy and humanize care by interacting with pediatric patients as individuals rather than focusing solely on their diagnosis. - Balancing grief and joy in healthcare conversations without pushing toxic positivity, highlighting how small daily moments of joy help families hold onto hope. Segment 2: Expanding the methodological repertoire: Integrating multimodal approaches in genetic counseling research Guest Bios: Ms Malebo Malope is a clinical genetic counsellor and currently employed at Stellenbosch University as a lecturer. She coordinates the teaching activities for the Clinical Genetics and Genetic Counselling Unit and leads short courses within the unit. Additionally, Malebo provides clinical genetic counselling at Tygerberg Hospital and participates in clinical training. Ms Malope has a special interest in decision-making on termination of pregnancy for foetal abnormalities, accessible genetic counselling services and diversity and inclusion within the field of genetics and genomics. Dr Megan Scott is a South African clinical genetic counsellor and health communication researcher based in Johannesburg. She holds a PhD in Health Communication and works in independent clinical practice, supporting individuals and families across a wide range of genetic indications, including prenatal, paediatric, oncology, ophthalmology and psychiatric genetics. She is actively involved in the South African medical genetics community, including student supervision and training and has previously served on the Genetic Counsellors South Africa (GCSA) committee. Dr Scott is also a Research Associate at the Health Communication Research Unit (HCRU) at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research focuses on improving healthcare practice across interdisciplinary fields, qualitative research methods, risk and uncertainty discussions, family communication and patient-centred care. She has presented at local and international conferences, published in the fields of genetic counselling and health communication and regularly reviews for academic journals. She also serves as a supervisor, reviewer and examiner for postgraduate students in genetic counselling, public health, psychology and clinical medicine. Dr Lorr

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

40

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

71

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