Equity in Genetics: Challenging the Legacy of Marginalization in Research and Clinic

Description
This webinar will explore how genetic concepts, research, and clinical care can either advance equity or contribute to marginalization. It will examine ideas such as genetic essentialism and their historical and ongoing application in eugenics initiatives in the United States. This session will also highlight how genetic concepts reinforce oppressive power structures, particularly in the context of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism. The speakers will conclude by discussing strategies for community engagement in genetic research and clinical practice aimed at reducing harm and promoting equity.

Level of Instruction
Basic - Entry level; no prior knowledge of subject necessary

Learning Objectives

1. Examine how genetic concepts have been historically and currently used to marginalize individuals with minoritized identities
2. Analyze the role of genetic research and healthcare in perpetuating health disparities 
3. Identify and implement strategies for community engagement to reduce harm and promote equity.

Course summary

Available credit: 
  • 0.10 NSGC CEU
Course opens: 
05/28/2025
Course expires: 
05/28/2027
Cost:
$0.00

Presenter: Kimberly Zayhowski, MS, CGC

Genetic Counselor and Assistant Program Director at Boston University School of Medicine

Kimberly Zayhowski, MS, CGC (she/her), is a genetic counselor, researcher, and assistant professor at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She earned her Master’s in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Stanford University School of Medicine and was one of the inaugural research fellows in the GC-FIRST program at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on LGBTQIA+ care, and specifically, the intersection of gender-affirming care and cancer genetics, with an emphasis on community-engaged research to improve clinical practices. Kim was awarded the Jane Engelberg Memorial Fellowship for her work in this area. She also serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Genetic Counseling as a Deputy Editor and a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Integration. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she received the AGCPD Outstanding Clinical Supervisor Award in 2021 and the NSGC Leader in Cultural Advocacy Award in 2022.

 

Presenter: Andrew Giles, MS, CGC

Clinical Genomics Scientist at Ambry Genetics

Andrew Giles, MS, CGC (he/him) is a Clinical Genomics Scientist at Ambry Genetics. He earned his Masters in Genetic Counseling at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Prior to graduate school, Andrew worked as a genetic counseling assistant at GeneDx. Andrew is passionate about integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into laboratory genetic spaces and is committed to being an advocate and ally for those who are marginalized. His graduate school research, conducted in collaboration with Ambry Genetics, focused on reviewing exome sequencing reanalysis disparities among racial and ethnic groups. After graduating in 2023, Andrew joined Ambry as a Clinical Genomics Scientist, where he specializes in copy number variant analysis and microarray reporting.

Moderator: Meghan Towne, MS, CGC

Genomic Science Liaison at Ambry Genetics

Meghan attended Boston University School of Medicine for her graduate studies in Genetic Counseling. Her studies piqued her interest in the impact of innovative technologies on diagnosing and connecting families with rare genetic disorders. Meghan worked for seven years at Boston Children’s Hospital developing the institutional infrastructure for genomic sequencing and new gene discovery before joining Ambry in 2016. She has held several roles at Ambry including Exome Reporting, Clinical Research Investigator, and is currently on the Rare Disease Genomic Science Liaison team where she supports clinical education about rare disease testing options.  

 


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EducateNext is committed to providing independent, objective, and evidence-based educational content. None of the individuals in control of this content—including our planners, reviewers, and approval faculty—have any financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. For all educational sessions, speaker-specific disclosures regarding any potential conflicts of interest are required and will always be shared directly with learners at the beginning of their respective presentations.

Ambry Genetics is approved as a provider for continuing education program by NSGC and ASCLS P.A.C.E ® Programs.

Credit eligibility varies by activity; please see below for the specific credit types offered for this course.

Available Credit

  • 0.10 NSGC CEU

Price

Cost:
$0.00
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Please note: Attendees must track continuing education (CE) credits towards recertification. Credit cannot be claimed for both live and recorded versions of the same webinar; attendance is cross-checked annually. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working toward a single-platform solution to automatically manage dual registration and integrated transcript tracking.