DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast

Please note this episode is only available on our website, DNAToday.com under Episode 415, and access is limited to those in the United States. 

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Ravi Savarirayan, a global leader in skeletal dysplasia care and a lead investigator across multiple achondroplasia clinical development programs. Dr. Savarirayan previously joined us on Episode 401, where we explored the first approved precision treatment for achondroplasia and international guidance for its use.

This time, we take a broader look at the rapidly evolving achondroplasia treatment landscape, including how different therapeutic approaches target FGFR3 signaling, how researchers interpret clinical trial outcomes, and what results from the Phase 3 PROPEL 3 study of investigational infigratinib could mean for children and families.

We also discuss why treatments cannot be reliably compared using results from separate clinical trials, the importance of studying outcomes beyond growth, and the questions that remain about long-term safety, functional benefits, treatment selection, and switching therapies.

Thank you to BridgeBio for sponsoring this episode.

Ravi Savarirayan is consultant clinical geneticist at Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne, and Group leader (Molecular Therapies at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Victoria, Australia. Professor Savarirayan received his MBBS from the University of Adelaide, Australia in 1990 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1997. He was certified as a specialist in Clinical Genetics by the Human Genetics Society of Australasia in 1998 and was awarded his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Melbourne in 2004. He was awarded the Fulbright Professional Scholarship for Australia in 1998, and took this up at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 

Professor Savarirayan’s primary research focus is on inherited disorders of the skeleton causing short stature, arthritis, and osteoporosis. He has published over 230 peer-reviewed articles and received over $35M in research funding, collaborating with researchers from 40 countries. His current clinical trial activities are pioneering disruptive new therapies for the treatment of genetic disorders. He was the global lead investigator of the clinical development program that identified vosoritide as the first precision therapy for children with achondroplasia. He was recently named one of the 30 “Brilliant minds” of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute over the past 30 years, was awarded the Institute’s research excellence award in 2020, and is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow.

Dr. Savarirayan first appearance on the show where he explains how the first approved precision treatment for achondroplasia works and discusses international consensus recommendations for counseling families, initiating treatment, monitoring outcomes, and considering when treatment may be discontinued.

Dr. Ricki Carroll discusses the medical complications associated with achondroplasia, the importance of coordinated multidisciplinary care, and why lifelong management must address much more than linear growth.

Dr. Janet Legare reviews the genetics, diagnosis, clinical features, medical management, and family counseling considerations associated with achondroplasia.

Colleen Gioffreda shares her experience living with achondroplasia, raising children with achondroplasia, navigating healthcare, building community, and challenging misconceptions about dwarfism.

Actor Atticus Shaffer discusses living with osteogenesis imperfecta, growing up in the entertainment industry, misconceptions about genetic conditions and short stature, and what he wants healthcare professionals to understand.

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

When patients relocate or relatives living abroad need cascade testing, finding a qualified genetics professional in another country can be surprisingly difficult. The new Global Genetics Directory aims to change that through a free, verified, peer-to-peer resource connecting genetics and genomics professionals worldwide.

In this episode of DNA Today, recorded in person at our studio, host Kira Dineen is joined by genetic counselor Monisha Sebastin, Founder and Principal Investigator of the Global Genetics Directory. Monisha explains how her international background and leadership within the genetics community revealed the need for a centralized global resource.

We explore how the directory was developed with support from the prestigious Audrey Heimler Special Projects Award, how professionals are verified across different credentialing systems, and why the team chose a closed, consent-based model rather than a publicly searchable directory. Monisha also shares how the directory could strengthen cross-border patient care, cascade testing, professional collaboration, and access to genetics services around the world.

Monisha Sebastin, MS, LCGC, is the Founder and Principal Investigator of the Global Genetics Directory. She is also a senior pediatric genetic counselor in New York City, where she specializes in cardiogenetics and research.

Monisha grew up in India and earned her undergraduate degree in genetic engineering before completing her genetic counseling training at Sarah Lawrence College. Her international background, clinical experience, and leadership within the global genetic counseling community helped inspire the development of the Global Genetics Directory.

The directory was developed with support from the Audrey Heimler Special Projects Award for Monisha’s project, “Evaluating International Genomics Providers’ Needs and Perspectives on a Global Genomics Services Directory.”

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

For most people, eating is an ordinary part of the day. But when you have phenylketonuria (PKU), every meal can involve calculations, preparation, medical monitoring, and decisions that affect how your brain and body feel.

This is DNA Today, a podcast from Gene Pool Media, where we explore the breakthroughs, challenges, and human impact of genetics and genomics. I’m your host Kira Dineen, a genetic counselor and award-winning science podcaster and speaker.

This is a continuation of our PKU series, sponsored by PTC Therapeutics. In the first episode (Episode 399), we explored how PKU helped launch newborn screening and why early diagnosis can completely change a child’s future.

In this second episode, we’re looking at what comes next: what it actually means to manage PKU through food, and how this affects school, friendships, celebrations, mental health, independence, and a person’s relationship with food.

Joining us are a mother and daughter who have experienced that journey together:

Dr. Jennifer Brown is a geneticist, science communicator, and author of When the Baby Is Not OK: Hopes & Genes, a wonderful memoir about genetics, motherhood, and raising children with PKU.

Lillian Isabella is a playwright, advocate, and graduate student in Columbia University's Narrative Medicine program who served six years on the National PKU Alliance board and lives with PKU. She is Dr. Brown's daughter. 

Our guests are participating in this podcast to share their experience and opinions only. They are not providing any medical advice. Always check with your healthcare provider for treatment and screening advice. 

Episode 399: PKU and the History of Newborn Screening – In the first installment of this series, we explore how PKU helped launch newborn screening and why early diagnosis can dramatically change a child’s future.

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

Prenatal cell-free DNA screening is designed to assess a pregnancy for chromosome conditions; but in rare cases, it can reveal something entirely unexpected about the pregnant patient’s own health.

In this episode, Kira Dineen is joined in-person by Dr. Diana Bianchi to explore how unusual or non-reportable cfDNA screening results can sometimes be a signal of an undiagnosed maternal cancer.

Dr. Bianchi shares findings from the NIH’s ongoing IDENTIFY study, which is investigating why these unexpected cfDNA patterns occur, how clinicians can distinguish potential malignancy from other explanations, and what should happen next when a prenatal screening result raises concern about maternal cancer.

We recorded this episode in person at AGBT Precision Health, one of our favorite conferences of the year. The conference wrapped this past Wednesday and brought together leaders across genomics, precision medicine, research, and clinical care in an intimate setting that makes it easy to connect, learn, and have thoughtful conversations.

The conference is also hosted at a beautiful resort in the San Diego area, which makes the experience especially memorable. We highly recommend attending next year’s AGBT Precision Health meeting, taking place September 13–15, 2027, at the same gorgeous location. We already put it on our calendars! 

Diana W. Bianchi, MD, is a physician-scientist and a pioneer in noninvasive prenatal genetic testing and fetal cell microchimerism research. She previously served as Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health and was a senior investigator in the Center for Precision Health Research at the National Human Genome Research Institute.

Her research has helped define how prenatal cell-free DNA sequencing can unexpectedly identify genomic patterns associated with maternal malignancy. In 2019, Dr. Bianchi and colleagues launched the IDENTIFY Study — Incidental Detection of Maternal Neoplasia Through Non-Invasive Cell-Free DNA Analysis — to investigate the biological causes of unusual or non-reportable prenatal cfDNA results and develop evidence-based approaches for identifying patients who may need evaluation for cancer.

The IDENTIFY study is an ongoing prospective study at the NIH Clinical Center evaluating pregnant and postpartum individuals who received unusual or non-reportable prenatal cfDNA sequencing results (also known as non-invasive prenatal screening or testing, NIPS or NIPT). 

The first major results from IDENTIFY were published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December 2024. Among the first 107 participants evaluated, 52 (48.6%) were diagnosed with cancer.

Researchers also found:

#358 AGBT Precision Health 2025 Meeting Recaps and Reflections

#348 NIPT Beyond the Basics: Screening for Single-Gene Conditions

#224 Single-Gene Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) with BillionToOne

#180 Reproductive DNA Testing with Mitera

#317 Prenatal Mock Genetic Counseling Session

#368 Mock Prenatal Genetic Counseling Session: Increased Nuchal Translucency

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

What happens during genetic counseling after someone develops colon cancer at a young age and their tumor testing raises concern for Lynch syndrome?

This is the eighth installment in our Mock Genetic Counseling Session Series! In this episode, cancer genetic counselor Connor Linehan and genetic counseling student Edith Atwerebour perform a mock cancer genetic counseling session. Edith plays Patricia, a 42-year-old woman recently diagnosed with Stage I colon cancer whose tumor showed loss of the MSH2 and MSH6 proteins.

Although this tumor result raises suspicion for Lynch syndrome, it does not confirm that Patricia has an inherited cancer predisposition. Through this simulated session, Connor explains the difference between tumor and germline testing, reviews the pattern of cancer in Patricia’s family, and discusses how genetic testing could inform her future medical care and clarify cancer risks for her relatives.

Patricia is particularly concerned about her kids. The session demonstrates how genetic counselors address the emotional impact of a possible hereditary cancer condition while explaining why testing and cancer screening are generally not recommended for children when the associated risks begin in adulthood.

Previous installments of this series have explored prenatal, pediatric, cardiovascular, cancer, and teratogen genetic counseling. We hope these sessions help prospective and current genetic counseling students, and the general public, better understand what happens during a genetic counseling appointment.

Connor Linehan, MS, LCGC is a board-certified genetic counselor in Connecticut specializing in cancer. He helps patients and families understand inherited cancer risks, genetic testing options, and how test results may affect medical management and relatives. He is also a Clinical Instructor at a genetic counseling graduate program. Connor is the President of The Connecticut Genetic Counselor Association. (Fun fact, our host Kira Dineen designed this new website!) 

Edith Atwerebour, MPH is currently a student in the Human Genetics Program at Sarah Lawrence College training to become a genetic counselor. In this mock session, she plays Patricia, a 42-year-old woman recently diagnosed with Stage I colon cancer whose abnormal tumor testing raises concern for Lynch syndrome. The premise of this mock case was developed as part of Atwerebour’s internship with DNA Today.

Edith also appeared in the previous installment of this series, #406 Mock Teratogen Genetic Counseling Session: Ozempic, Zoloft, Xanax, and Metformin, in which she played Denise, a pregnant patient seeking information about several medication exposures.

Please note that the information provided in this mock genetic counseling session is intended strictly for educational purposes and should not be used for personal medical decision-making. Cancer risks, screening recommendations, and risk-reducing options vary based on the individual, gene, personal medical history, and family history.

If you have questions or concerns about your health, we encourage you to consult directly with a certified genetic counselor or another qualified healthcare provider who can provide individualized medical recommendations. If you are in the United States, you can find a genetic counselor near you by visiting FindAGeneticCounselor.com. If you are a genetic professional yourself and looking for a a colleague outside the US, we recommend GlobalGeneticsDirectory.org 

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

This episode drop from the PRETEND podcast series “The Gypsy Rose Obsession” features Kira Dineen explaining what Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s genetic test result may, and may not, mean.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s medical history has been scrutinized for years. Throughout her childhood, her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, presented her as having numerous serious medical conditions, resulting in medications, procedures, mobility aids, and countless medical appointments. In 2015, Dee Dee was murdered by Gypsy’s then-boyfriend in a crime Gypsy helped plan.

The case has since inspired documentaries, television series, podcasts, and an enormous amount of online speculation. But one part of Gypsy’s medical history has received relatively little attention: a chromosomal microdeletion identified through genetic testing.

In this special episode drop, we are sharing the fifth installment of “The Gypsy Rose Obsession,” an investigative series from the PRETEND podcast hosted by Javier Leiva. The first four episodes explore the online community that continues to investigate, debate, and develop competing theories about nearly every aspect of Gypsy’s life. We recommend listening to those episodes first for the full context behind the people, records, and claims discussed in this installment.

Episode five turns its attention to Gypsy’s reported 1q21.1 microdeletion. DNA Today host and certified genetic counselor Kira Dineen joins Javier as a genetics expert to examine the available records and explain the complexities of interpreting this finding.

Kira breaks down chromosomes using a genomic-library analogy, explains how a chromosomal “address” such as 1q21.1 is read, and puts the reported deletion size into perspective. She also compares a traditional karyotype with a chromosomal microarray and explains how a deletion can be too small to detect through one form of testing but identifiable through another.

What can the microdeletion tell us about Gypsy’s health? Why might her earlier clinical notes and a later laboratory report describe the finding differently? Could the deletion explain claims involving paralysis, leukemia, or the need for a feeding tube? Most importantly, how do we distinguish a possible genetic association from evidence that a particular finding caused someone’s medical, psychiatric, or behavioral features?

This episode discusses medical child abuse, violence, and murder. Please take care while listening.

The information presented in this episode is intended for education and discussion and should not be considered individualized medical advice. Genetic test results should be interpreted by a qualified healthcare professional in the context of the individual’s complete medical and family history.

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead.

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com.

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

What happens when stigma, secrecy, and institutional power separate a mother from her child, and prevent an adoptee from accessing his own identity and medical history for decades?

This week, we are sharing an episode of DNA Clarity and Support, the newest podcast to join the Gene Pool Media network. Host and genetic counselor Brianne Kirkpatrick Williams speaks with New York Times bestselling author and journalist Gabrielle Glaser about her book, American Baby: A Mother, a Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption.

American Baby follows Margaret Erle Katz, who became pregnant as a teenager in 1961, and the son she was pressured to relinquish for adoption. That child, later named David Rosenberg, grew up without access to his biological family or family medical history. Decades later, while experiencing serious health problems, David used direct-to-consumer DNA testing to identify his birth family and discovered that the story he had believed about his adoption was not true.

Through David and Margaret’s experiences, Gabrielle exposes the coercion, secrecy, and stigma that shaped the postwar adoption industry, and explores why access to original birth records, genetic relatives, and family health history remains so important.

Gabrielle Glaser is a New York Times bestselling author and journalist whose work on mental health, medicine, addiction, and culture has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, and many other publications.

Her fourth book, American Baby: A Mother, a Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption, examines the history of adoption in post–World War II America through the story of one family separated by the country’s secretive and coercive adoption system.

Learn more about Gabrielle and her work on her website.

Brianne Kirkpatrick Williams is a licensed and certified genetic counselor, genealogist, author, and the founder of Watershed DNA. She provides support and guidance for people navigating DNA testing, family searches, adoption, donor conception, misattributed parentage, and unexpected biological relationships. Brianne is also the co-author, with Shannon Combs-Bennett, of The DNA Guide for Adoptees. 

DNA Clarity and Support explores the personal and familial impacts of DNA testing. Brianne speaks with authors, advocates, and leaders about family searches, unexpected discoveries, identity, medical history, and the resources available to people navigating the rapidly changing world of consumer DNA testing.

DNA Clarity and Support is produced by Watershed DNA and is part of the Gene Pool Media podcast network. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Editor’s note: This conversation was originally recorded in 2022. Laws governing adoptee access to original birth certificates have continued to change since then. 

As of July 2026, according to the Adoptee Rights Law Center, adult adopted people in seventeen states currently have an unrestricted right to obtain copies of their own pre-adoption original birth records without discriminatory restrictions. These maps categorize US states into three primary groups: Unrestricted, Compromised, and Restricted, with definitions and numbers below. A list of states and restrictions is also available, as well as a changelog to the map over time.

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) can present very differently from one person to the next, from life-threatening complications in infancy to fractures, chronic pain, muscle weakness, or early tooth loss later in life. With symptoms spanning multiple body systems and varying across the lifespan, how can clinicians recognize when these seemingly disconnected findings may point to HPP?

In the first episode of our three-part series on hypophosphatasia, we are joined by genetic counselor Amy Patterson to explore the clinical spectrum and diagnosis of HPP. Amy explains what happens biologically in HPP, why traditional age-based classifications do not always capture its variability, and how the condition may present from the prenatal period through adulthood.

We also discuss the importance of persistently low alkaline phosphatase (ALP), including why results must be interpreted using age- and sex-appropriate reference ranges. Amy reviews the additional laboratory findings, medical and dental histories, imaging, physical examination, and molecular testing that may contribute to a diagnosis. She also highlights common misdiagnoses and the clinical clues that should prompt healthcare providers to consider HPP.

Amy Patterson, MS, CGC, is a licensed, board-certified genetic counselor in the Department of Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins. She works with pediatric and adult patients in the general genetics clinic and the Greenberg Center for Skeletal Dysplasias, including individuals and families affected by hypophosphatasia.

This episode is the first in a three-part educational series about hypophosphatasia. Stay tuned for the next installment . Across the series, we explore the clinical spectrum and diagnosis of HPP, its genetic basis and variable expression, and considerations for genetic counseling and management.

This series is sponsored by Alexion. The views expressed by the host and guests are their own.

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

What happens when the symptoms of a genetic condition look like the lasting effects of a professional football career?

Former NFL defensive end and Kansas City Chiefs star Art Still spent decades attributing carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, back problems, joint and tendon injuries, neuropathy, and other health concerns to football, aging, and ordinary wear and tear. Even when he developed atrial fibrillation, Art’s lifelong discipline and athlete mentality made him believe he could manage his health on his own.

Art and his wife, Liz Still, join host Kira Dineen to share how those seemingly disconnected symptoms were eventually traced to hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis, also known as hereditary ATTR or hATTR amyloidosis.

During evaluations through the NFL Player Care Foundation wellness program, Art’s healthcare providers looked beyond his individual symptoms and asked about his family health history. That conversation revealed a striking pattern: relatives with serious cardiac, neurologic, and mobility-related conditions, including Art’s older brother, who received a heart transplant, and his nephew, who lived with sickle cell disease and had previously tested positive for the same TTR variant.

Genetic testing confirmed that Art carries the V122I variant, also called p.Val142Ile or V142I, in the TTR gene. This variant is found in approximately 3–4% of Black Americans, or about 1 in 25, although carrying it does not necessarily mean someone will develop amyloidosis.

For Art and Liz, the diagnosis provided answers, but it also raised questions for their 11 children, 28th grandchild on the way, and extended family. They discuss navigating family conversations about inherited health risks, the value of genetic testing, Art’s evolving trust in healthcare, and why following a treatment plan matters.

Through their nonprofit, Still 4 Life, Art and Liz now offer free community presentations focused on awareness, earlier detection, family health history, and self-advocacy. Their goal is to make complicated medical information easier to understand and reach people who may otherwise dismiss their symptoms or hesitate to seek care.

Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis is caused by a disease-associated variant in the TTR gene. The variant makes the transthyretin protein more likely to misfold and accumulate as amyloid deposits in organs and tissues.

Depending on the individual and the specific variant, hereditary ATTR amyloidosis can affect the heart, peripheral nerves, autonomic nervous system, digestive system, kidneys, and other parts of the body. Possible warning signs can include cardiomyopathy, heart failure, irregular heart rhythms, neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, spinal stenosis, tendon injuries, swelling, and digestive symptoms.

Because these concerns are often evaluated by different specialists, and may be attributed to more common conditions, the underlying diagnosis can be missed for years.

Art carries the V122I variant, which is also referred to as V142I or p.Val142Ile under current genetic nomenclature. It is particularly prevalent among people with West African ancestry and is found in approximately 3–4% of Black Americans; however, genetic variants do not conform neatly to racial categories. 

Not everyone who inherits a disease-associated TTR variant develops amyloidosis. Anyone concerned about personal symptoms or family history should discuss appropriate evaluation and testing with a qualified healthcare professional.

Art Still is a former NFL defensive end, College Football Hall of Fame inductee, and rare disease advocate. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the second overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft and played 12 professional seasons with the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.

During his decade in Kansas City, Art earned four Pro Bowl selections and was named the Chiefs’ Most Valuable Player twice. After years of orthopedic, neurologic, and cardiac symptoms, Art was diagnosed with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis in 2023.

Art now uses the same team-oriented mindset that shaped his football career to educate communities about amyloidosis, family health history, early detection, and self-advocacy.

Liz Still is Art’s wife, care partner, and advocacy partner. She initially believed that many of Art’s symptoms resulted from his years in professional football. When his cardiac problems became more serious, she recognized that something else might be happening and became an important advocate throughout his diagnostic and treatment journey.

Following Art’s hereditary amyloidosis diagnosis, Liz helped research the condition, understand its implications for their family, and communicate the information to their children and relatives. She now works alongside Art through Still 4 Life, helping families recognize the importance of asking questions, sharing family health history, and advocating for the people they love.

Art and Liz founded Still 4 Life to increase awareness and encourage earlier detection of amyloidosis and other rare diseases.

Through free community presentations, they share Art’s personal experience in approachable language and encourage people to:

Community organizations, healthcare professionals, and other groups interested in hosting an educational presentation can connect with Art and Liz through Still4Life.org.

You never have to wait long for a new episode of DNA Today, we release episodes every Friday! In the meantime, explore our library of over 400 episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, DNAToday.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search “DNA Today.”

Prefer to watch? The video version of this episode is available on our YouTube channel and DNAToday.com. Select episodes are filmed in person, including some at the iconic NBCUniversal studios.

Discover more podcasts exploring genetics, genomics, medicine, and science from our network, Gene Pool Media: The Science Podcast Network.

DNA Today is hosted and executive produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM. Liv Davidson is our Social Media Lead and Eric Knaus is our Digital Marketing and Automation Lead. 

Follow us at @DNATodayPodcast on all platforms including Instagram, X, BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. 

Questions, partnership inquiries, and guest pitches can be sent to [email protected].

This is our seventh installment in our Mock Genetic Counseling Session Series! In this episode, genetic counselor and teratogen information specialist Sharon Voyer Lavigne and student Edith Atwerebour perform a mock genetic counseling session. The session indication is medication exposures during pregnancy, including Ozempic®, metformin, Zoloft®, and Xanax®.

This session was recorded in person, providing a more dynamic and engaging learning experience. Therefore, we highly recommend watching it on YouTube to fully immerse yourself in the interaction.

We hope this series is helpful for prospective and current genetic counseling students, as well as the general public, by demystifying the genetic counseling process. 

Edith Atwerebour is currently a student in the Human Genetics Program at Sarah Lawrence College training to become a genetic counselor. In this mock session, she plays Denise, a 34-year-old woman who is pregnant with her second child and seeking information about medication exposures during pregnancy. The premise of this mock case was developed as part of Atwerebour’s internship with DNA Today.

Sharon Voyer Lavigne, MS, LGC, is a licensed genetic counselor, teratogen information specialist, and Coordinator of MotherToBaby Connecticut. She has worked with MotherToBaby Connecticut for more than 28 years and also serves as its Research Coordinator. Lavigne is a Clinical Instructor in the Division of Human Genetics within the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences at UConn Health. She teaches and trains genetic counseling students, maternal-fetal medicine fellows, OB/GYN residents, and other healthcare professionals.

Lavigne received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Northeastern University and her Master of Science in Human Genetics/Genetic Counseling from Sarah Lawrence College. Through MotherToBaby, she helps patients and healthcare professionals understand the most current evidence about medications and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The central takeaway from the session is that Denise’s reported medication exposures are not expected to place the pregnancy at a significantly greater overall risk. Instead, the primary priorities are improving diabetes control, maintaining her mental health, and coordinating care among her obstetrician and other healthcare providers.

MotherToBaby provides free, evidence-based information about medications and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Patients and healthcare providers can contact MotherToBaby by phone, text, email, or live chat.

MotherToBaby Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Fact Sheets

MotherToBaby: Semaglutide (GLP-1s like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Rybelsus®)

MotherToBaby: Metformin (Glucophage®, Glumetza® and Fortamet®) 

MotherToBaby: Sertraline (Zoloft®)

MotherToBaby: Alprazolam (Xanax®, Niravam®, Gabazolamine-0.5®)

Episode #311: Cancer Session for Breast and Prostate Cancer Family History

Episode #317: Prenatal Session for Advanced Maternal Age

Episode #331: Pediatric Session for Autism

Episode #351: Cardio Session for Sudden Death of a Family Member

Episode #368: Prenatal Session for Increased Nuchal Translucency

Episode #373: Pediatric Session for an Abnormal Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Result

Please note that the information provided in this mock genetic counseling session is intended strictly for educational purposes and should not be used for personal medical decision-making. Medication risks and benefits during pregnancy vary based on the individual, medication, dose, timing, and underlying medical condition.

If you have questions or concerns about your health, we encourage you to consult directly with a certified genetic counselor or another qualified healthcare provider who can provide individualized medical recommendations. If you are in the United States, you can find a genetic counselor near you by visiting FindAGeneticCounselor.com. 

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