Nearly every day it seems like there is a new breakthrough in genomics that could impact the way we deliver healthcare. But we have yet to see the necessary changes at the bedside to turn these scientific breakthroughs into improved patient health.
The Institute for Genomics Education, Workforce & Leadership at Sarah Lawrence College was established to address this very concern from those across the genomics ecosystem asking, “Where is the workforce to deliver on the promise of precision medicine?” In our interviews, we heard over and over again about the great innovations coming down the pipeline but also fears that there will not be a genomics workforce ready to deliver these innovations to patients, nor genomics training available to meet this need. Join us for this virtual seminar as we discuss the critical needs developing within our workforce that hinder society’s ability to truly benefit from precision medicine. Our panelists, with unique perspectives from across the genomics ecosystem, will share their experiences and outline the emerging challenges that require our immediate attention.
Panelists
Dawn Barry
President & Co-Founder, Luna
Dawn Barry is a veteran of the biotech industry and an advocate for girls and women in STEM professions. Her current company, Luna, has received numerous awards from notable institutions including the Word Economic Forum and Fast Company for redesigning the biomedical research model by bridging collectives of people with industry and researchers for dynamic studies and trials.
Eric Dishman
CEO, DishStrong Innovation, LLC
Originally trained as a communication scholar, Eric Dishman's life mission became healthcare and biotech innovation by career and medical necessity. He has spent 35+ years doing, leading, and teaching health innovation and trying to personalize and precision-ize healthcare for himself as a 23-year cancer patient and for thousands of cancer patients he has advocated for.
Gillian Hooker
Chief Scientific Officer, Concert Genetics
Adjunct Associate Professor, Vanderbilt University Medical
Gillian Hooker, PhD, ScM, CGC is the Chief Scientific Officer of Concert Genetics and Adjunct Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She has worked to address inefficiencies and dysfunction in the delivery of genetic testing and counseling services by investing her time and energy in technology development, advocacy for policies to better align incentives with patient needs and education to promote the expansion and maturation of the genomics workforce.
Ryan Taft
Vice President, Scientific Research, Illumina
Ryan J. Taft, PhD, is Vice President, Scientific Research at Illumina Inc., where he leads a portfolio focused on the deployment of genomic technologies for patients worldwide, especially the use of whole genome sequencing as a platform for genetic testing. At Illumina his activities include oversight of the Illumina Clinical Services Laboratory’s clinical whole genome sequencing test, pediatric and adult clinical trials, bioinformatic innovation, and novel application development.
Moderator
Diane Baker
MS '79
Diane Baker is a pioneer and leader in the field of genetic counseling. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence’s Joan H. Marks Graduate Program in Human Genetics—a leader in genetic counselor education –she went on to become a founding member of the genetic counseling program at the University of Michigan, serving as its director and a premier member of its faculty. During this time, she served on the boards of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the American Board of Medical Genetics, the American Board of Genetic Counseling, and the American Society of Human Genetics, and completed a Congressional Policy Fellowship in the U.S. Senate.